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Wastewater Nitrification Performance of Novel Harakeke (Phormium tenax) Fibre-PLA Biocarriers
Summary
Scientists created a new plastic-free material from New Zealand flax fibers to help clean ammonia out of wastewater more effectively than the plastic pieces currently used in treatment plants. This flax-based material worked better at removing harmful ammonia (74% vs. 65% for conventional plastic) and can be composted afterward instead of piling up as waste, offering a promising way to reduce microplastic pollution in our water systems while improving wastewater treatment.
This study investigates harakeke (New Zealand flax) fibre/PLA composites as biodegradable biocarriers to enhance nitrification in Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) wastewater treatment systems. Biocarriers containing 30% mass harakeke fibres were compared with conventional polyethylene (K3), neat PLA, and raw harakeke fibre rings. Harakeke/PLA biocarriers promoted faster biofilm establishment, accelerated nitrifier colonization, and achieved superior ammoniacal-N reduction. Specifically, harakeke/PLA carriers achieved a 74% median ammoniacal-N reduction, compared with neat PLA (68%), K3 (65%), and raw harakeke fibres (65%). The improved performance is attributed to higher carbon availability and increased surface roughness, supporting microbial growth. Raw harakeke fibre rings initially showed rapid biofilm formation and high nitrification rates but disintegrated after seven weeks, highlighting the need for structural reinforcement. Integrating harakeke with PLA provided both enhanced nitrification and structural stability. Harakeke/PLA biocarriers offer a sustainable alternative to conventional K3 carriers, reducing microplastic pollution and landfill waste. By accelerating biofilm development and reactor start-up, these biocarriers improve treatment performance, and spent carriers could be composted. These findings advance the development of environmentally responsible, cost-effective technologies for wastewater bioremediation.