Innovative Wastewater Treatment Technologies for Microplastics Removal in Urban Water Systems

1. Introduction 1.1 Background and Motivation 1.2 Research Objectives 1.3 Structure of the Dissertation 2. Microplastics in Urban Water Systems 2.1 Definition and Types of Microplastics 2.2 Sources and Pathways 2.3 Environmental and Health Impacts 3. Current Wastewater Treatment Practices 3.1 Conventional Treatment Methods 3.2 Limitations in Microplastics Removal 3.3 Case Studies: Existing Facilities 4. Innovative Treatment Technologies 4.1 Advanced Filtration Techniques 4.2 Chemical Treatment Processes 4.3 Biological Treatment Innovations 4.4 Integrated Treatment Systems 5. Evaluation of Technology Effectiveness 5.1 Criteria for Assessing Technologies 5.2 Comparative Analysis 5.3 Cost-Benefit Considerations 6. Implementation Challenges and Opportunities 6.1 Regulatory and Policy Framework 6.2 Infrastructure and Economic Barriers 6.3 Public Awareness and Engagement 7. Case Studies of Successful Implementations 7.1 Urban Regions with Innovative Solutions 7.2 Lessons Learned from Implementations 7.3 Future Prospects for Urban Areas 8. Conclusion and Future Research 8.1 Summary of Key Findings 8.2 Recommendations for Policy Makers 8.3 Directions for Future Research