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Microplastic Identification in Domestic Wastewater-Treating Constructed Wetlands and Its Potential Usage in a Circular Economy
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Researchers identified and characterized microplastics in constructed wetlands used for treating domestic wastewater, finding MP accumulation in the substrate and plants and assessing how well these nature-based treatment systems retain plastic particles before effluent is discharged.
Mentions of microplastics (MPs) are increasingly frequent, for they are present in all environments, including wastewater. Knowing their possible harmful effects on the food chain, the fact that they appear in crops is concerning. The ways by which they are transported and stored, as well as their final destination, are still unclear. The issue of MPs in wastewater and how they are carried into agricultural crops are little-known facts. This study aims to evaluate whether horizontal subsurface flow wetlands with ornamental plants (Hippeastrum hybridum hort and Heliconia bihai marginata) can retain microplastics present in domestic wastewater while at the same time recirculating water for irrigation of the Phaseolus vulgaris crop. On average, the ornamental plants Hippeastrum hybridum hort and Heliconia bihai marginata removed contaminants such as COD, NH4+, TN, NO2−, TP, PO43−, and TSS, with an efficiency of 84% and 98%, respectively. The presence of MPs was identified via FTIR analysis and visual characterization in domestic wastewater, treated wastewater, and well water; the quality of the fruit for human consumption was determined using safety tests for Escherichia coli and Salmonella.
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Microplastics profile in constructed wetlands: Distribution, retention and implications
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This study assessed microplastic distribution, retention, and implications within constructed wetlands used for wastewater treatment, finding that wetlands trap substantial quantities of MPs but that retention efficiency varies by plant species and wetland design. The results suggest constructed wetlands both remove and potentially accumulate MPs as a secondary pollution source.
Microplastics occurrence and fate in full-scale treatment wetlands
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Researchers assessed microplastic occurrence and fate across full-scale treatment wetlands, finding that constructed wetlands effectively remove a significant proportion of MPs from wastewater but that removal efficiency varies with wetland design and MP characteristics.
Microplastic retention by integrated constructed wetlands
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Researchers monitored microplastic retention efficiency at two integrated constructed wetlands in England over 12 months, finding that these nature-based water treatment systems could capture a significant fraction of microplastics from wastewater treatment plant effluent. Constructed wetlands offer a low-cost, ecologically beneficial approach to further reducing microplastic loads before treated water enters rivers.
Distribution and fate of microplastics in a laboratory surface-flow constructed wetland
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Researchers tracked how different types of microplastics (polyethylene microbeads, rubber fragments, and plastic fibers) were distributed and retained in a laboratory-scale constructed wetland planted with aquatic macrophytes. The plants and substrate effectively trapped microplastics, suggesting constructed wetlands can provide additional removal of plastic particles beyond conventional wastewater treatment.
Retention of microplastics by interspersed lagoons in both natural and constructed wetlands
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Researchers used laboratory wetland models to test how well constructed wetlands with interspersed lagoons and aquatic vegetation can capture microplastic particles from water. Combining vegetated patches with a lagoon achieved microplastic retention rates of up to 99%, suggesting that nature-based wetland designs could be an effective low-cost strategy for filtering microplastics out of wastewater and rivers before they reach the ocean.
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