Unaccounted Microplastics in the Outlet of Wastewater Treatment Plants—Challenges and Opportunities

Since the 1950s, plastic production has skyrocketed. Various environmental and human activities are leading to formation accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic terrestrial ecosystems, causing detrimental effects on water, soil, plants, living creatures. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) one primary MP management centers meant check their entry into natural systems. However, there considerable limitations effectively capturing, detecting, characterizing these MPs inlet outlet WWTPs “unaccounted MPs” that eventually discharged our ecosystems. In order assess holistic picture MPs’ distribution prevent release omitted environment, formulate regulatory policies, it is vital develop protocols can be standardized across globe accurately detect account for different sample types. This review will cover details current WWTP adoption procedures management. Specifically, following aspects discussed: (i) several processes involved workflow estimating WWTPs; (ii) key or challenges each process would increase uncertainty MPs; (iii) favorable recommendations lead standardization facilitate more accurate analysis (iv) research opportunities tackle problem ‘missing MPs’; (v) future directions efficient MPs. Considering burgeoning interest area MPs, this work help early scientists understanding status field WWTPs.