Microplastics in wastewaters: Pretreatment to detection trail

Wastewater (WW) systems have been recognized as crucial pathways for microplastics (MPs) to enter different environmental compartments. Beginning with the origins and routes of microplastic contamination in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), this review investigates the distribution and transport of MPs with WW effluent and WW sludge (WWS). The intricate relationships between the physio-thermal properties of MPs and their influence on pretreatment techniques employed to eliminate organic matter interference have received attention. MP properties such as the type, size, shape, density, softening point, and melting point are crucial in determining their separation and concentration for advanced analysis. This review also addresses the need for standardized protocols to explore efficient pretreatment methods that leverage these properties to enhance the separation of MPs from the WW complex matrix for accurate analysis. Through a critical assessment of the literature, the insights highlighted in this manuscript navigate the journey from pretreatment to detection in WW and how it affects their overall analyzes. [Display omitted] •MPs' interaction with the other organic and inorganic pollutants in the WW matrix increases the complexity of MPs analysis.•Pretreatment of WW eliminates the false interpretations of MPs.•The combination of pretreatment techniques for accurate WW MP analysis•Quality control is necessary to improve the reliability of at laboratory scale detection of MPs.