Engineered technologies for the separation and degradation of microplastics in water: A review

In recent years, the presence of group contaminants, termed as microplastics (MPs) has been recognized significant water pollutants with considerable potential for exerting adverse impacts on human health and wildlife. Natural attenuation practically no effect while conventional treatment processes are not capable entirely removing MPs which reported to accumulate in environment, organisms aquatic food web and, potentially reaching humans. This in-depth review critically evaluates state-of-the-art engineered technologies suitable separation degradation real-scale application. The outcomes confirmed that very limited number studies this field, majority from years have focused using phase-changing processes, including coagulation-flocculation, flotation, membrane processes. A few other use chemical or biological digestion, even fewer, removal biodegradation, wet oxidation, advanced oxidation paper focuses type being removed, process conditions research literature. emerging trends field also highlighted well identification current knowledge gaps future directions along perceptive comments recommendations related application available treatment.