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Pinto PE, Giacobbo A, de Almeida GM, Rodrigues MAS, Bernardes AM. Pressure-Driven Membrane Processes for Removing Microplastics. MEMBRANES 2025; 15:81. [PMID: 40137033 PMCID: PMC11944205 DOI: 10.3390/membranes15030081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2025] [Accepted: 03/03/2025] [Indexed: 03/27/2025]
Abstract
The intense consumption of polymeric materials combined with poor waste management results in the dissemination of their fragments in the environment as micro- and nanoplastics. They are easily dispersed in stormwater, wastewater, and landfill leachate and carried towards rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing their contamination. In aqueous matrices, the use of membrane separation processes has stood out for the efficiency of removing these particulate contaminants, achieving removals of up to 100%. For this review article, we researched the removal of microplastics and nanoplastics by membrane processes whose driving force is the pressure gradient. The analysis focuses on the challenges found in the operation of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse-osmosis systems, as well as on the innovations applied to the membranes, with comparisons of treatment systems and the peculiarities of each system and each aqueous matrix. We also point out weaknesses and opportunities for future studies so that these techniques, known to be capable of removing many other contaminants of emerging concern, can subsequently be widely applied in the removal of micro- and nanoplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Edinger Pinto
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Porto Alegre 91509-900, RS, Brazil; (G.M.d.A.); (A.M.B.)
| | - Alexandre Giacobbo
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Porto Alegre 91509-900, RS, Brazil; (G.M.d.A.); (A.M.B.)
| | - Gabriel Maciel de Almeida
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Porto Alegre 91509-900, RS, Brazil; (G.M.d.A.); (A.M.B.)
| | - Marco Antônio Siqueira Rodrigues
- Post-Graduation Program in Materials Technology and Industrial Processes, Feevale University, Rodovia RS-239, n. 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, RS, Brazil;
| | - Andréa Moura Bernardes
- Post-Graduation Program in Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (PPGE3M), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, n. 9500, Porto Alegre 91509-900, RS, Brazil; (G.M.d.A.); (A.M.B.)
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Kim SY, Kim S, Park C. Evaluation of Ceramic Membrane Filtration for Alternatives to Microplastics in Cosmetic Formulations Using FlowCam Analysis. MEMBRANES 2025; 15:35. [PMID: 39852275 PMCID: PMC11767035 DOI: 10.3390/membranes15010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2024] [Revised: 12/31/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2025] [Indexed: 01/26/2025]
Abstract
The rapid expansion of the cosmetics industry has significantly increased the adoption of alternative microplastics in response to increasingly stringent global environmental regulations. This study presents a comparative analysis of the treatment performance of silica powder and cornstarch-common alternatives for microplastics in cosmetics-using ceramic membrane filtration combined with flow imaging microscopy (FlowCam) to analyze particle behavior. Bench-scale crossflow filtration experiments were performed with commercially available alumina ceramic membranes. By analyzing high-resolution images from FlowCam, the transport and retention behaviors of the two microplastic alternatives were examined by comparing their morphological properties. Despite their similar particle sizes, the cornstarch demonstrated a higher removal efficiency (82%) than the silica (72%) in the ceramic membrane filtration due to its greater tendency to aggregate. This increased tendency for aggregation suggests that cornstarch may contribute to faster fouling, while the stability and uniformity of silica particles result in less fouling. The FlowCam analysis revealed that the cornstarch particles experienced a slight increase in circularity and compactness over time, likely due to physical swelling and aggregation, while the silica particles retained their shape and structural integrity. These findings highlight the impact of the morphological properties of alternative microplastics on their filtration behavior and fouling potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chanhyuk Park
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
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Maja V, Sanja V, Tajana S, Branko K, Jelena MJ, Jasmina A, Aleksandra T. Assessing the interaction between 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and microplastic fibers in aquatic environments: Adsorption kinetics and mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 956:177383. [PMID: 39505040 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2024] [Revised: 10/02/2024] [Accepted: 11/02/2024] [Indexed: 11/08/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in managing environmental pollutants, but they often release persistent contaminants like synthetic microplastic fibers (MPFs) into ecosystems. These microplastics, mainly from the textile industry and domestic washing of synthetic fabrics, are a major type of microplastic found in aquatic environments. Some harmful chemicals have an affinity for these microplastics, making them vectors for contaminants. This study investigates the adsorption of 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), an organic UV filter, onto microplastic fibers from two different sources. Batch experiments conducted at room temperature (25 °C) under laboratory conditions assessed the adsorption kinetics and mechanisms. Morphological and visual characterization of the microplastic fibers was done using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing diverse shapes, types, and colors. Physico-chemical properties were confirmed through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The data matched well with the PSO kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm, indicating monolayer chemisorption with equilibrium achieved within 24 h. The adsorption mechanisms involved electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. Both types of microplastic fibers exhibited a tendency to adsorb 4-MBC, indicating the significance of this research in understanding the interactions between this compound and various fiber types emphasizing the need for further research under the different environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vujić Maja
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia.
| | - Vasiljević Sanja
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
| | - Simetić Tajana
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
| | - Kordić Branko
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
| | - Molnar Jazić Jelena
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
| | - Agbaba Jasmina
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
| | - Tubić Aleksandra
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
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Lee U, Park K, Chang S, Cho M, Lee J. Feasibility evaluation of near dissolved organic matter microfiltration (NDOM MF) for the efficient removal of microplastics in the water treatment process. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 356:141882. [PMID: 38582163 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Microfiltration (MF) using membranes with a mean pore size smaller than 0.45 μm has generally been used for particle removal from water, given that materials larger and smaller than 0.45 μm are regarded as particulates and dissolved organic matter (DOM), respectively. It is also the case for removing small-size microplastics (MPs). However, given their sizes (ca. 1 μm), there is room for further improvement of the productivity (i.e., water flux) in the pore size range of 0.45-1 μm on the condition that the removal rate is maintained. With this in mind, MF's water flux and removal rate were tested using seven different MF membranes, and the right pore, with the size of 0.8 μm, was found for MP removal, which is called near DOM (NDOM) MF. In the filtration test using polystyrene surrogate beads with an average particle diameter of 1.20 μm, NDOM MF exhibited a 1.7 to 13 times higher permeate flux than the conventional MF using 0.1, 0.2, and 0.45 μm membranes while maintaining a higher removal rate than 2 log. The excellent removal rate of the NDOM MF was attributable to the following three factors: (1) smaller mean pore size than the average particle diameter, (2) particle screening effect enhanced by the secondary layer formed by surface deposition, and (3) 3D mesh sublayer structure favorable for capturing penetrated particles. Furthermore, the outstanding filtration performance also appeared in a low-temperature (< 10°C) process, demonstrating that NDOM MF is feasible independently of temperature. Additionally, in constant flux filtration, NDOM MF demonstrated the long-term feasibility by lowering the transmembrane pressure and specific filtration energy by more than 2 times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uje Lee
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bioconvergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeongyeon Park
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bioconvergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungwon Chang
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bioconvergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Cho
- Division of Biotechnology, SELS Center, College of Environmental and Bioresource Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jaewoo Lee
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bioconvergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea; Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Department of JBNU-KIST Industry-Academia Convergence Research, Polymer Materials Fusion Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, 54896, Republic of Korea.
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Abbasi S. Uncovering the intricate relationship between plant nutrients and microplastics in agroecosystems. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 346:140604. [PMID: 37926162 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent scientific and media focus has increased on the impact of microplastics (MPs) on terrestrial and soil ecosystems. However, the interactions between MPs with macronutrients and micronutrients and their potential consequences for the agroecosystem are not well understood. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a staple food grown globally and has special importance for nations economies. Different elements can cause dangerous outcomes for wheat quality and production yield. In this study, batch adsorption experiments were done using 1 g of polyethylene tetra phthalate MP particles (PET-MPs) in varying concentrations of thirteen elements. The adsorption data were fitted by two common adsorption models (Langmuir and Freundlich). The effect of pH on the speciation of elements in aqueous solutions was investigated. The non-invasive characterization methods indicate the importance of O- and H-containing groups as the main component of selected MPs in controlling the adsorption of the elements ions. In the current study, adsorption and potential transport of the adsorbed macronutrients (K and Na) and micronutrients (Ni, Co, Cu, Al, Ba, Se, Fe, As, B, V and Ag) which include some beneficial (Na, Se, V), and non-essential or toxic elements (Al, As, Ag, Ba) onto MPs to the simulated roots of wheat were evaluated. The maximum sorption capacities of K+> Ni+2> Na+ > Co2+> Cu2+>Al+3 >Ba+2 >Se4+>Fe2+ >As5+ >B3+ >V5+> Ag + on PET-MPs at pH 5.8 and 25 ± 1 °C were 290.6 > 0.52> 0.51 > 0.20> 0.10 > 0.051> 0.024 > 0.003> 0.003 > 0.0015> 5.05 × 10-4> 1.7 × 10-4>3.7 × 10-6 mg g-1, respectively. The results highlight the importance of PET-MPs in controlling element adsorption in the rhizosphere. Our observations provide a good start for understanding the adsorption of multiple elements from the soil rhizosphere zone by PET-MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Abbasi
- Department of Earth Sciences, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71454, Iran; Centre for Environmental Studies and Emerging Pollutants (ZISTANO), Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
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Kim S, Hyeon Y, Park C. Microplastics' Shape and Morphology Analysis in the Presence of Natural Organic Matter Using Flow Imaging Microscopy. Molecules 2023; 28:6913. [PMID: 37836755 PMCID: PMC10574296 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitous microplastics in urban waters have raised substantial public concern due to their high chemical persistence, accumulative effects, and potential adverse effects on human health. Reliable and standardized methods are urgently needed for the identification and quantification of these emerging environmental pollutants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, we introduce an innovative rapid approach that employs flow imaging microscopy (FlowCam) to simultaneously identify and quantify microplastics by capturing high-resolution digital images. Real-time image acquisition is followed by semi-automated classification using customized libraries for distinct polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics. Subsequently, these images are subjected to further analysis to extract precise morphological details of microplastics, providing insights into their behavior during transport and retention within WWTPs. Of particular significance, a systematic investigation was conducted to explore how the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) in WWTPs affects the accuracy of the FlowCam's measurement outputs for microplastics. It was observed that varying concentrations of NOM induced a more curled shape in microplastics, indicating the necessity of employing pre-treatment procedures to ensure accurate microplastic identification when utilizing the FlowCam. These observations offer valuable new perspectives and potential solutions for designing appropriate treatment technologies for removing microplastics within WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chanhyuk Park
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
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Cruz-Salas AA, Velasco-Pérez M, Mendoza-Muñoz N, Vázquez-Morillas A, Beltrán-Villavicencio M, Alvarez-Zeferino JC, Ojeda-Benítez S. Sorption of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Microplastics. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15092050. [PMID: 37177197 PMCID: PMC10181375 DOI: 10.3390/polym15092050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As is the case for many others in the world, Mexican seas face complex pollution challenges; two of the contaminants that require special attention for their prevalence, possible chemical interactions, and relation to the country's economy are leaked petroleum and microplastics (MP). This research assessed the sorption of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) as fuel oil on microplastics in laboratory and field scenarios. Preliminary tests allowed the development and validation of a methodology to measure the sorbed fuel oil by Soxhlet extraction, with a 99.65% recovery rate. The amount of TPH sorbed in the lab followed the order LDPE > PS > PP > PVC > PET > HDPE, with the highest concentration found on LDPE. The sorption of fuel oil on microplastics is correlated to the surface area of the plastic particles and could also be related to the crystallinity of plastics. Sorption, for all plastics, was consistent with a second-order kinetic model. The analysis of field samples collected on beaches of the Gulf of Mexico varied from 1660 to 35,258 mg/kg MP. It must be noticed that, unlike others, this research quantified a family of contaminants, which could explain the high concentrations observed on microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arely Areanely Cruz-Salas
- Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Ciudad de México 02200, Mexico
| | - Maribel Velasco-Pérez
- Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Ciudad de México 02200, Mexico
| | - Nayely Mendoza-Muñoz
- Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Ciudad de México 02200, Mexico
| | - Alethia Vázquez-Morillas
- Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Ciudad de México 02200, Mexico
| | | | - Juan Carlos Alvarez-Zeferino
- Departamento de Energía, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Ciudad de México 02200, Mexico
| | - Sara Ojeda-Benítez
- Laboratorio de Residuos Sólidos, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Campus Mexicali, Mexicali 21100, Mexico
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