Comparison of AOP, GAC, and Novel Organosilane-Based Process for the Removal of Microplastics at a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as important point sources of micropollutants and microplastics into the environment. Existing fourth cleaning steps are designed to remove dissolved micropollutants, however do not target dispersed solids such microplastics. Therefore, ability an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) in parallel serial connection was investigated determined. The pilot were operated at municipal WWTP Landau, Germany, a three-step biological waste plant with capacity 80,000 population equivalents. A Nile red-based detection method applied quantify Neither showed significant removal To achieve simultaneous using organosilanes for microplastics’ connected series GAC. When added water, attach collect them agglomerates by chemically binding water-induced sol–gel process. flow rate 12 m3/h retention time 10 min; GAC 2 1 h. An average reduction 86.2 ± 2.0% 60.9 27.5% reached. Thus, there is effective Further optimizations expected result more stable higher performance.