Effectiveness of Microplastic Removal from River Water Using Conventional and Ultrafiltration Techniques: Correlation with Physicochemical Parameters

Microplastics (MP) contamination in freshwater sources significantly threatens water quality and public health. The Krueng Aceh River, a vital water source in Aceh Province, Indonesia, is increasingly polluted by MP, necessitating effective treatment solutions. This study compares the efficiency of conventional water treatment methods (coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration) in MP removal with nanofiber membrane filtration. To identify the MP types, water samples from the six treatment stages were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical microscopy. At the same time, statistical and computational analyses examined the correlations between MP and physicochemical parameters. Conventional treatment removed only 9%–31% of the MP, with polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP) persisting in the treated water. In contrast, the nanofiber membranes achieved significantly higher removal rates, with Membrane-1 and Membrane-2 rejecting 93.65% and 90.48% of MP, respectively. The membrane filtration also improved the removal of turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), and nitrate. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified turbidity, TSS, TDS, flow velocity, and sampling time lag as the key factors influencing the MP concentrations. These findings highlight the limitations of conventional treatment and the potential of nanofiber membranes as a superior alternative. Integrating membrane filtration with advanced coagulation, adsorption, or oxidation processes is recommended to ensure safe drinking water. Future research should focus on membrane optimization and hybrid treatment strategies to enhance the MP removal efficiency.