Research Advances in Removal Efficiency and Mechanism of Microplastics in Drinking Water Treatment Plants
Abstract
Microplastics, as a novel type of environmental pollutant, have attracted notable attention in environmental research due to their widespread distribution and potential biological toxicity. Drinking water treatment plants play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the water supply, with a particular focus on the removal efficiency of microplastics in drinking water treatment plants. Different treatment processes in water plants exhibit various removal efficiencies of microplastics and they operate through distinct removal mechanisms. To comprehensively analyze the removal efficiency and mechanism of microplastics in drinking water treatment plants, this study first examined the abundance and removal efficiency of microplastics of the influent and effluent of drinking water treatment plants. Subsequently, this study reviewed the removal efficiency and mechanism of four commonly used treatment processes： coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation, sand filtration, membrane filtration, and disinfection. The shortcomings and gaps in current studies were also pointed out. Finally, the assessment of microplastics abundance and human exposure in tap water was summarized and the future research direction was prospected from the perspectives of standardized sampling detection methods, nanoplastic detection, microplastics release in water supply systems, and risk assessment.
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