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Stabilized Sewage Sludge as Fertilizer: Risks Related to the Presence of Microplastics
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Researchers analyzed microplastic content in sewage sludge-derived fertilizer collected in June and July, finding an average of ~460 mg of microplastics per 100 g of fertilizer with fragments and fibers predominating — raising concerns about agricultural land contamination from sewage sludge application.
Microplastics are an increasingly concerning environmental pollutant. Their presence in agricultural settings is particularly troubling due to their persistence and potential to infiltrate soil, groundwater, and the food chain. This study focused on analyzing fertilizer derived from stabilized sewage sludge collected in June and July. The average mass of microplastics isolated per 100 g of fertilizer was 461.28 mg in June and 458.92 mg in July. The analysis revealed a substantial quantity of microplastics, with fragments and fibers being the predominant forms. In the June samples, an average of 860 microplastic particles was detected, compared to 734 in July (507 fragments and 227 fibers). The most common particle sizes in June ranged from 1500 to 2000 µm and 2000 to 2500 µm, with a significant proportion also exceeding 4000 µm. In July, particles larger than 4000 µm were the most prevalent. Qualitative analysis using Raman microscopy identified polyethylene—a widely used, inexpensive, and chemically stable polymer—as one of the main types of plastic present.
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Researchers measured microplastic levels in treated sewage sludge used to make agricultural fertilizer and found concentrations as high as 2,942 fragments per 100 grams of dry material. Low-density polyethylene fragments were the most common type detected, with the highest levels occurring during summer months. When this sludge-based fertilizer is applied to farmland, it could introduce thousands of microplastic particles per square meter of soil, raising concerns about long-term soil health.
Microplastic contamination in sewage sludge: Abundance, characteristics, and impacts on the environment and human health
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This review focuses on microplastics found in sewage sludge, which is often spread on agricultural land as fertilizer. The practice introduces microplastics directly into farm soil, where they can be taken up by crops or leach into groundwater. This creates a pathway for microplastics to reach human food and drinking water, raising concerns about the safety of using sewage sludge in agriculture.
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Researchers analyzed sewage sludge from two municipal treatment plants and found up to 116,000 microplastic particles per kilogram of dry sludge, with fiber-shaped and film-shaped particles dominating each plant respectively — highlighting the risk of spreading microplastic contamination to farmland when sludge is used as fertilizer.
Preliminary Examination on isolation of Microplastics (MPs) in Sewage Sludge from the Local Wastewater Treatment Plant
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A preliminary study detected and isolated microplastics from sewage sludge at a local wastewater treatment plant in Southeast Asia, finding concentrations of approximately 31,000 particles per kilogram of dry sludge. Given that sludge is widely applied as agricultural fertilizer, the findings point to a significant pathway for microplastic introduction into soils.
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Researchers analyzed sludge-based fertilizers applied to agricultural soils and found high microplastic concentrations (hundreds to thousands per kilogram of dry weight) that were transferred to soils after application, identifying this as an important but overlooked pathway for terrestrial microplastic contamination.
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