Table 3.
Comparison of the removal methods of polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in different removal processes
| Removal Method | Removal process | Removal efficiency (%) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE | PS | PP | PET | ||
| Physical | Adsorption | NA | 81 | NA | 100 |
| Filteration | 96 | 90 | NA | NA | |
| Adsorption using biochar | NA | 54 | NA | NA | |
| flotation with dissolved air | 69 | NA | NA | 61 | |
| Chemical | Coagulation | 64 | 85 | NA | 74 |
| Electrocoagulation | 82 | NA | 90 | - | |
| Electrooxidaition | NA | 60 | NA | NA | |
| VU radiation of zinc oxide nanotubes | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| Physico-chemical | Coagulation and filtration | 57 | NA | NA | NA |
| Coagulation and sedimentation | NA | 80 | NA | NA | |
| Coagulation and flotation | 89 | NA | NA | NA | |
| Coagulation and flocculation and sedimentation and filtration | 90 | 90 | NA | NA | |
| Adsorption and thermal degradation | NA | 97 | NA | NA | |
| Photocatalytic | 83 | NA | NA | NA | |
| Thermophotocatalytic | NA | NA | 89 | NA | |
| Afran coagulating gas | NA | 94 | NA | NA | |
| Magnetic carbon nanotubes | 100 | NA | NA | NA | |
| Organosyls | 97 | 58 | 97 | NA | |
| Laser beam and sunlight | NA | 54 | NA | NA | |
| Ferrofluid | NA | NA | NA | 99 | |
| Nano ferrofluid | 49 | 49 | NA | NA | |
| Biological | Activated sludge process | 98 | NA | 98 | 17 |
| Zalerion maritimum mushroom | 43 | NA | NA | NA | |
| Wetland | NA | 73 | 73 | 73 | |
| Shell | 66 | NA | NA | NA | |
| Integrated | Membrane biological reactor | 86 | 84 | 86 | 98 |
| Rapid sand filter (RSF) | 75 | 75 | 75 | NA | |
| Extended activated sludge | 90 | NA | 90 | NA | |
| Oxidation ditch and RSF | 97 | 97 | 97 | 97 | |
| Wetland with vertical flow | 98 | 98 | 98 | NA | |
| Adsorption and electrocoagulation | 92 | NA | 92 | NA | |
| A2/O, secondary sedimentation, denitrification, UF, O3, UV | NA | 95 | 95 | 95 | |
PE: Polyethylene; PS: Polystyrene; PP: Polypropylene; PET: Polyethylene terephthalate; NA: Not available