Engineering:Microplastic remediation

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Microplastic remediation refers to environmental remediation techniques focused on the removal, treatment and containment of microplastics (small plastic particles) from environmental media such as soil, water, or sediment.[1]

Microplastics can be removed using physical, chemical, or biological techniques.[2] Though efforts are underway in directly removing microplastics from the environment, the biggest factor in microplastic remediation remains prevention.[3] Implementation of policy and protocol for the collection and re-use of plastic products prevents the majority of opportunities for microplastics to form in the environment.[3]

Microplastic remediation is global effort which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Direct impacts to the environment, as it pertains to the SDGs, include SDG 6 concerning clean water and sanitation, SDG 12 as the production and use of plastic materials directly contribute the creation of microplastics, and SDG 14 where microplastics have invaded the waters and sediments, affecting aquatic life.[3][4]

Remediation of microplastics in air

Microplastics can be airborne and have been identified in both air and dust samples from both indoor and outdoor locations in China and London, among others, with indoor microplastic levels being higher than outdoor levels.[5][6][7][8] More studies are needed to measure the impact of microplastics as part of airborne particulate matter on human health.[9]

Removal of airborne microplastics is challenging and the best strategy is to improve indoor ventilation and to reduce emission by reducing use of synthetic textiles and by using HEPA filters when vacuuming.[10] HEPA air filters can reduce indoor airborne particulate matter and might be similarly effective for microplastics removal.[11]

Incineration of plastics for energy is a large contributing factor to airborne microplastics.[12] It has been observed that switching from plastic burning to renewable technologies for the production of energy is a viable method of microplastic remediation for airborne microplastics by eliminating a major source.[12]

Remediation of microplastics in water

This image shows the process of flocculating water that has been confirmed to be polluted by microplastics. Fenugreek polymer has been added for the flocculation process in order to adsorb the microplastics for removal from the water.
Okra polymer created for use in microplastic remediation in waters.

Microplastics can be removed from water by filtration, adsorption or absorption.

Absorption devices include sponges made of cotton and squid bones, demonstrating an efficiency of over 99%.[13]

Researchers have shown that microplastic remediation in water can also be accomplished by utilizing plant-based polymers from Fenugreek and Okra as flocculants.[14] The flocculation process utilizes the unique structure of the polymers created from the sugars of Fenugreek and Okra as adsorption vectors.[14] Once the microplastics have been captured by the polymers in the flocculation process, the polymers settle to the bottom of the solution and are filtered out.[14] Utilization of these polymers for flocculation results in an average of 80% of microplastic removal from water.[14]

Polyacrylamide has also been found to be an effective flocculant for removing microplastics from water.[15]

Biofilters, such as biochar filtration, have been used in wastewater treatment plants.[15] The biochar acts as an adsorbent and is capable of removing up to 97% of microplastics from effluent.[15]

Efforts to physically remove microplastics from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch have used nets and collection bags.[16] The method of netting or bagging plastics in the ocean involves pairs of ships pulling large bags or nets, like plankton nets, to remove the plastics.[16]

Remediation of microplastics in soil and sediments

Microplastics are commonly found in soil and sediments.[17][18] Techniques are under development to achieve reductions in soil microplastics via photodegradation, chemical extraction, or bioremediation.[19][20][3] Additionally, density separation has been found to be an effective technique for microplastic remediation of sediments.[21]

Density separation involves saturating a volume of water with salts, such as NaCl or ZnCl, and dissolving the sediments. The microplastics are less dense than the saturated water which causes them to float to the top and can be removed by decantation.[21]

Biodegradation of microplastics has been accomplished in soils and sediments by utilizing microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, that are capable of eating the plastics as a food source.[17] The soils and sediments are placed in a bioreactor with the chosen microorganism which allows for the breakdown of the plastics.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Van Melkebeke, Michiel; Janssen, Colin; De Meester, Steven (2020-07-21). "Characteristics and Sinking Behavior of Typical Microplastics Including the Potential Effect of Biofouling: Implications for Remediation". Environmental Science & Technology 54 (14): 8668–8680. doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b07378. ISSN 0013-936X. PMID 32551546. Bibcode: 2020EnST...54.8668V. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b07378. 
  2. ↑ Ahmed, Riaz; Hamid, Ansley K.; Krebsbach, Samuel A.; He, Jianzhou; Wang, Dengjun (2022-04-01). "Critical review of microplastics removal from the environment". Chemosphere 293. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133557. ISSN 0045-6535. PMID 35016952. Bibcode: 2022Chmsp.29333557A. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Chia, Rogers Wainkwa; Lee, Jin-Yong; Cha, Jihye (2023-11-30), Thakur, Sveta; Singh, Lakhveer, eds., "Bioremediation of Soil Microplastics: Categories and Mechanisms" (in en), ACS Symposium Series (Washington, DC: American Chemical Society) 1459: pp. 19–32, doi:10.1021/bk-2023-1459.ch002, ISBN 978-0-8412-9701-2, https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bk-2023-1459.ch002, retrieved 2024-12-14 
  4. ↑ "THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development". https://sdgs.un.org/goals. 
  5. ↑ "Inhalable microplastics prevails in air: Exploring the size detection limit". Environ Int 162. April 2022. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2022.107151. PMID 35228011. Bibcode: 2022EnInt.16207151X. 
  6. ↑ "Widespread distribution of PET and PC microplastics in dust in urban China and their estimated human exposure". Environ Int 128: 116–124. July 2019. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.04.024. PMID 31039519. Bibcode: 2019EnInt.128..116L. 
  7. ↑ Yuk, Hyeonseong; Jo, Ho Hyeon; Nam, Jihee; Kim, Young Uk; Kim, Sumin (2022). "Microplastic: A particulate matter(PM) generated by deterioration of building materials". Journal of Hazardous Materials (Elsevier BV) 437. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129290. ISSN 0304-3894. PMID 35753297. Bibcode: 2022JHzM..43729290Y. 
  8. ↑ Wright, S. L.; Ulke, J.; Font, A.; Chan, K. L. A.; Kelly, F. J. (2020-03-01). "Atmospheric microplastic deposition in an urban environment and an evaluation of transport". Environment International 136. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.105411. ISSN 0160-4120. PMID 31889555. Bibcode: 2020EnInt.13605411W. 
  9. ↑ Landrigan, Philip J.; Raps, Hervé; Cropper, Maureen; Bald, Caroline; Brunner, Manuel; Canonizado, Elvia Maya; Charles, Dominic; Chiles, Thomas C. et al. (2023-03-21). "The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health" (in en). Annals of Global Health 89 (1). doi:10.5334/aogh.4056. ISSN 2214-9996. PMID 36969097. 
  10. ↑ Kek, Hong Yee; Tan, Huiyi; Othman, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan; Nyakuma, Bemgba Bevan; Ho, Wai Shin; Sheng, Desmond Daniel Chin Vui; Kang, Hooi Siang; Chan, Yoon Tung et al. (March 2024). "Critical review on airborne microplastics: An indoor air contaminant of emerging concern" (in en). Environmental Research 245. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.118055. PMID 38154562. Bibcode: 2024ER....24518055K. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0013935123028591. 
  11. ↑ Dubey, Stuti; Rohra, Himanshi; Taneja, Ajay (September 2021). "Assessing effectiveness of air purifiers (HEPA) for controlling indoor particulate pollution" (in en). Heliyon 7 (9). doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07976. PMID 34568599. Bibcode: 2021Heliy...707976D. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Sardar, Muhammad Fahad; Bin-Jumah, May; Rudayni, Hassan A.; Allam, Ahmed A.; Guo, Weihua (2025-07-24). "Potential of green nanotechnology for air pollution and microplastic remediation in China: evidence by ARDL panel data analysis" (in en). Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 27 (13): 9165–9175. doi:10.1007/s10098-025-03273-y. ISSN 1618-9558. Bibcode: 2025CTEP...27.9165S. 
  13. ↑ Perkins, Tom (2024-12-10). "Cotton-and-squid-bone sponge can soak up 99.9% of microplastics, scientists say" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/10/microplastics-pollution-sponge-cotton-squid-bone. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Srinivasan, Rajani; Bhuju, Rajita; Chraibi, Victoria; Stefan, Mihaela C.; Hien, Nguyen; Ustundag, Damla; Gill, Jeri La Neice; Rasmussen, Nikolas et al. (2025-04-22). "Fenugreek and Okra Polymers as Treatment Agents for the Removal of Microplastics from Water Sources". ACS Omega 10 (15): 14640–14656. doi:10.1021/acsomega.4c07476. PMID 40290963. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Dayal, Lovely; Yadav, Krishna; Dey, Uttiya; Das, Kousik; Kumari, Preeti; Raj, Deep; Mandal, Rashmi Ranjan (2024-11-01). "Recent advancement in microplastic removal process from wastewater - A critical review". Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 16. doi:10.1016/j.hazadv.2024.100460. ISSN 2772-4166. Bibcode: 2024JHzMA..1600460D. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Cade, Kylar (2024-05-20). "The Plastic Pollution Treaty and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Strategy International · Think Tank & Consulting Services" (in en-US). https://strategyinternational.org/2024/05/20/publication125/. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Yang, Ling; Zhang, Yulan; Kang, Shichang; Wang, Zhaoqing; Wu, Chenxi (2021-08-01). "Microplastics in soil: A review on methods, occurrence, sources, and potential risk". Science of the Total Environment 780. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146546. ISSN 0048-9697. PMID 33770602. Bibcode: 2021ScTEn.78046546Y. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721016144. 
  18. ↑ Nath, Soumitra; Enerijiofi, Kingsley Erhons; Astapati, Ashim Das; Guha, Anupam (2024). "Microplastics and nanoplastics in soil: Sources, impacts, and solutions for soil health and environmental sustainability" (in en). Journal of Environmental Quality 53 (6): 1048–1072. doi:10.1002/jeq2.20625. ISSN 1537-2537. PMID 39246015. Bibcode: 2024JEnvQ..53.1048N. https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jeq2.20625. 
  19. ↑ Xu, Tingting; Wang, Xiyuan; Shi, Qingdong; Liu, Huapeng; Chen, Yutong; Liu, Jia (2024-07-01). "Review of Soil Microplastic Degradation Pathways and Remediation Techniques" (in en). International Journal of Environmental Research 18 (5): 77. doi:10.1007/s41742-024-00615-4. ISSN 2008-2304. Bibcode: 2024IJEnR..18...77X. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41742-024-00615-4. 
  20. ↑ Radford, Freya M.; Zapata-Restrepo, Lina A.; Horton, Alice D.; Hudson, Malcolm J.; Shaw, Peter D.; Williams, Ian (2021). "Developing a systematic method for extraction of microplastics in soils" (in en). Analytical Methods 13 (14): 1695–1705. doi:10.1039/D0AY02086A. PMID 33861236. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Prapanchan, Venkatraman Nagarani; Kumar, Erraiyan; Subramani, Thirumalaisamy; Sathya, Udayakumar; Li, Peiyue (2023-05-24). "A Global Perspective on Microplastic Occurrence in Sediments and Water with a Special Focus on Sources, Analytical Techniques, Health Risks, and Remediation Technologies" (in en). Water 15 (11): 1987. doi:10.3390/w15111987. ISSN 2073-4441. Bibcode: 2023Water..15.1987P. 



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