Tackling microplastics and their ecological risks in industrial wastewater: Evaluation of the removal efficiency of continuous-flow activated sludge and sequencing batch reactors

Key Points

• Microplastics removal efficiency varies between activated sludge and sequencing batch reactors, leading to ecological risks.
• Findings indicate a measurable removal efficiency of 75% in a continuous-flow system compared to 65% in a sequencing batch reactor.
• Assessment using comparative wastewater treatment methods demonstrates significant differences in pollutant removal.
• Highlights the need for improved treatment methods to minimize ecological damage from industrial wastewater.