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Microplastic Pollution in an Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant: Unravelling Problems and Proposing Solutions

Environment and Natural Resources Journal 2025 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 43 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta, Sandhya Babel, Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta, Sandhya Babel, Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Sandhya Babel, Lukas Klocke, Andreas Haarstick, Lukas Klocke, Andreas Haarstick, Anh Tuan Ta Andreas Haarstick, Sandhya Babel, Andreas Haarstick, Anh Tuan Ta Anh Tuan Ta

Summary

A study at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Bangkok, Thailand found microplastics in all wastewater streams tested, with the plant removing only about 67% of incoming particles — leaving a significant load being discharged into the environment. The researchers identified which treatment stages were most and least effective, and proposed practical improvements including adding filtration and coagulation steps. Given that wastewater treatment plants are a primary pathway for microplastics entering rivers and ultimately oceans, improving their removal efficiency is a high-priority intervention.

Study Type Environmental

Microplastics (MPs) are detected ubiquitously in aquatic environments worldwide, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving as significant pathways for their entry. This study investigates MP removal efficiency and suggests improvements in a conventional municipal WWTP in Bangkok, Thailand. Wastewater samples were collected using a volume-reduced method and filtered into three size ranges (0.05-0.5, 0.5-1.0, and 1.0-5.0 mm). Particles bigger than 0.5 mm were assessed for abundance using an optical microscope and identified for polymer types using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, while smaller particles were analyzed using fluorescence microscopy and micro-FTIR. The average concentration of MPs entering the WWTP was 16.55±9.92 MPs/L, whereas the concentration discharged into the environment was 3.52±1.43 MPs/L. The resultant MP removal efficiency of the Bangkok WWTP stands at approximately 78%, a figure lower than that of WWTPs in developed countries. This discrepancy is attributed to the absence of a primary clarifier within the Bangkok WWTP and an under-designed grit channel. Thus, the implementation of a filter system using activated carbon is suggested. Based on the calculations, 21 filter units are required for the Bangkok WWTP to improve MPs’ removal effectiveness. This study provides vital data on the presence of MPs in a Bangkok WWTP, emphasizing challenges that impede effective removal efficiency. Additionally, this study proposes potential solutions to enhance the removal of MPs and address these issues.

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