Microplastics in drinking water source: Current situation and solutions

Abstract

Microplastics have been detected in oceans, seas, and freshwater bodies worldwide in recent years; however, limited research has focused on their concentrations in daily drinking water and on the technologies available to remove them in order to protect human health. Drinking water treatment processes—such as sedimentation, coagulation, and membrane filtration—help reduce the concentration of microplastics, but significant challenges remain regarding their effectiveness. Therefore, this article summarizes current knowledge on microplastics in drinking water sources, highlights treatment solutions that have been applied worldwide, and discusses the challenges involved in implementing these technologies to improve treatment efficiency.