Advances and Prospects of Modified Activated Carbon-Based Slow Sand Filtration for Microplastic Removal
Qu Z. Zhantikeyev U. Kakimov U. Toshtay K. Rysbekov K. Yusof N.N.B. Berndtsson R. Azat S.
January 2026Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Water (Switzerland)
2026#18Issue 2
With the increasing prevalence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in global aquatic environments, their potential ecotoxicological and health impacts have become a major concern in environmental science. Slow sand filtration (SSF) is widely recognized for its low energy demand, ecological compatibility, and operational stability; however, its efficiency in removing small or neutrally buoyant MPs remains limited. In recent years, integrating modified activated carbon (MAC) into SSF systems has emerged as a promising approach to enhance MP removal. This review comprehensively summarizes the design principles, adsorption and bio-synergistic mechanisms, influencing factors, and recent advancements in MAC-SSF systems. The results indicate that surface modification of activated carbon—through controlled pore distribution, functional group regulation, and hydrophilic–hydrophobic balance—significantly enhances the adsorption and interfacial binding of MPs. Furthermore, the coupling between MAC and biofilm facilitates a multi-mechanistic removal process involving electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interaction, physical entrapment, and biodegradation. In addition, this review discusses the operational stability, regeneration performance, and environmental sustainability of MAC-SSF systems, emphasizing the need for future research on green and low-cost modification strategies, interfacial mechanism elucidation, microbial community regulation, and life-cycle assessment. Overall, MAC-SSF technology provides an efficient, economical, and sustainable pathway for microplastic control, offering valuable implications for a safe water supply and aquatic ecosystem protection in the future.
adsorption mechanism , bio-synergy , microplastics , modified activated carbon , slow sand filtration , sustainable water treatment
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Laboratory of Engineering Profile, Satbayev University, Almaty, 050013, Kazakhstan
School of Energy and Constructional Engineering, Shandong Huayu University of Technology, Dezhou, 253000, China
Mining and Metallurgical Institute Named After O.A. Baikonurov, Satbayev University, Almaty, 050013, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Penang, Malaysia
Division of Water Resources Engineering & Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Lund, 22100, Sweden
Laboratory of Engineering Profile
School of Energy and Constructional Engineering
Mining and Metallurgical Institute Named After O.A. Baikonurov
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
School of Physics
Division of Water Resources Engineering & Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026