Technologies for the Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater: A Short Review

One of the major routes of microplastics (MPs) to the environment is through the wastewater treatment plants’ (WWTPs) discharge to water bodies. Due to their dimensions (< 5mm), MPs tend to be ingested by aquatic species, and eventually, may cause adverse impacts on the environment and to human health. This paper aims to compare different existing and potential technologies for the removal of MPs from wastewater, in terms of removal mechanisms, removal efficiencies, and the current scale of application. In addition, the effects of the presence and accumulation of microplastics in different wastewater treatment systems are reviewed. The MPs that accumulate in the wastewater sludge may also enter the environment through the disposal or reuse of biosolids. However, most of the recent reviews of the removal of MPs in wastewater focused on technologies for the removal from the liquid phase. This paper also seeks to review proposed technologies for the removal of microplastics from wastewater sludge. Finally, the challenges in the application of these strategies for removal are also highlighted in this brief review.