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Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...
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Micro- and nanoplastics removal from water and solid matrices: Technologies, challenges, and future perspectives.

Alejandro Pérez-López1, Salvador Cotillas1, Aurora Santos1

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Summary

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) contamination requires effective removal strategies. Current water treatments mainly transfer MPs and NPs to sludge, with advanced oxidation processes showing promise for degradation but needing real-world validation.

Keywords:
Advanced oxidation processesMicroplasticsNanoplasticsRemoval technologiesSewage sludgeWastewater

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Water Treatment Technologies
  • Polymer Science

Background:

  • Plastic contamination, particularly microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), poses a significant environmental challenge.
  • Research on MPs and NPs in wastewater and sludge has rapidly increased since 2015.
  • Effective mitigation strategies are urgently needed to address this growing issue.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically review current technologies for removing and degrading MPs and NPs in aqueous and solid matrices.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of various treatment methods.
  • To identify research gaps and future directions for MP and NP remediation.

Main Methods:

  • Bibliometric analysis of research from 2015-2025.
  • Critical review of existing literature on MP and NP removal and degradation technologies.
  • Evaluation of conventional and advanced treatment processes.

Main Results:

  • Most water treatment processes transfer MPs and NPs to sewage sludge (>95%) rather than eliminating them.
  • Conventional methods (filtration, coagulation, sedimentation, flotation) show >80% MP removal but are poorly validated for NPs.
  • Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) demonstrate high degradation potential (>80-99% mineralization) in controlled settings, but real-world applicability is limited.
  • Remediation research in soils, sediments, and sludge is nascent, focusing on extraction over treatment.
  • Emerging thermochemical and biological methods show potential but require further development.

Conclusions:

  • Current water treatment technologies primarily redistribute MPs and NPs into sludge, necessitating integrated strategies.
  • AOPs show promise for polymer degradation, but validation in complex matrices is crucial.
  • Future research must focus on scalable, validated degradation technologies and preventing inter-matrix transfer of MPs and NPs.