Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a global environmental concern because of their severe threat to biota. However, limited studies on the elimination of MPs pollution were reported. The conventional treatment methods such as coagulation, sedimentation, screening, and flotation were not suitable for MPs owing to their smaller size than plastic items. Hence many methods for MPs treatment, including AOPs (direct photodegradation, photocatalytic oxidation, and electrochemical oxidation) and biodegradation, have been examined.
You can read: Focus topics on microplastics in soil: Analytical methods, occurrence, transport, and ecological risks
Article Focus topics on microplastics in soil: Analytical methods, o...
also: Microplastic Particles in the Aquatic Environment: A Systematic Review
Article Microplastic Particles in the Aquatic Environment: A Systematic Review
The need for identifying nanoplastics in terms of shape, size, degradation over time and numbers are immensely important. Cost effective determination methods and possible use of the method online could be very helpful in terms controlling industrial and commercial MP pollution.
Dear Dr. Muhammad Amjad, Will you please provide the link for the full paper on MPs in WWTPs. The pdf or jpg is blurry!
Hi Saeed,
Research may be on prevention or remediation at different levels.
Remediation
-environmental monitoring in different compartments - presence of microplastics in water, air, soil or food
-mechanisms (chemical, physicochemical or microbiological) of degradation
-toxicological effects (at different trophic levels) of microparticles and their degradation intermediates
-removal technologies in sewage treatment plants
-removal technologies at consumption points (end consumer)
Prevention
alternatives for bioplastics from renewable sources
composite materials alternatives
product design alternatives to reduce consumption of conventional plastics and facilitate recycling
Anything else?
Best Regards,
Markos
Dear Dr. Markos Brazilo, You have prepared a good list of remediation and prevention for MPs. At present, standardization of monitoring methods is very important across the globe. This is because if the MPs are measured in any source, the range of measurement should be inclusive. If some study reports MPs up to 100 micron vs other study reports MPs up to 10 micron, the results in terms of MP concentration, mass, size and shape will not be true representation of reality. Isn't it?
Hi Dr. Rajat,
Yes, I agree.
It reminds me of Kelvin's famous quote:
“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.”
(https://physicsworld.com/a/in-praise-of-lord-kelvin/)
But I think we also need to standardize methods for preparing reference materials for different types of MPs.
Article Preparation of a reference material for microplastics in wat...
https://seminars.setac.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Brett-Howard-SETAC-MP-Seminars-ACC-MP-Reference-Material.pdf
Best Regards.
Markos
Dear Dr. Markos Brazilo, I agree that the standardization of methods for measuring different types of MPs is the primary research need if we want to compare the results or conduct some sort of trend analysis.
Transport of Microplastic Particles in Saturated Porous Media
Article Transport of Microplastic Particles in Saturated Porous Media
UV-aging of microplastics increases proximal ARG donor-recipient adsorption and leaching of chemicals that synergistically enhance antibiotic resistance propagation
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389421028648?via%3Dihub
Thanks, Dr. Markos Brazilo. The links are useful. Groundwater leaching using data from groundwater in various soil structures is an important topic which has not been extensively studied, I believe.
State Water Board creates world’s first standardized methods for testing microplastics in drinking water
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2021/pr12062021_microplastics_standardized_method.pdf
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/microplastics.html
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