We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Characteristics, Occurrence and Removal Technologies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how wastewater treatment plants are a major pathway for microplastics entering the environment, covering the types, sizes, and sources of microplastics found in wastewater. While treatment plants can remove many microplastics, significant amounts still escape into rivers and oceans through treated water and sludge. The authors evaluate various removal technologies and recommend advanced treatment methods to better prevent microplastics from reaching water supplies.
Pollution of the aquatic environment with microplastics has recently been recognised as a new environmental threat considering their negative impact on the ecosystem. Due to the low density and small particle size of microplastics, they are easily discharged into sewage systems and wastewater treatment plants. Thus, wastewater treatment plants are considered major sources of microplastic pollution in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an in-depth understanding of the occurrence, behaviour, and fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants before they are discharged into natural water bodies. This paper comprehensively reviews the current state of knowledge on the characteristics and removal of microplastics in a series of wastewater treatment plants by comparing their removal efficiency in different unit processes, both during pretreatment, biological treatment, and tertiary treatment. The study found varying efficiencies in wastewater treatment technologies, with the first stage of treatment removing between 16.5 and 98.4% of microplastics, while during biological treatment the overall efficiency of microplastics removal ranges from 78.1 to 99.9% (membrane bioreactor). Nevertheless, given the large volumes of wastewater continuously discharged to receiving bodies, even tertiary treatment plants can be a significant source of microplastics in surface waters. The largest fraction of MPs removed in conventional wastewater treatment plants is trapped in the sludge. Among the critical treatment technologies, microplastic quantitative analysis showed that membrane bioreactors and filter-based treatment technologies have the highest microplastic removal efficiency. Based on a review of the existing literature, it was concluded that existing wastewater treatment plants are ineffective in removing microplastics completely, and there is a risk that they could be discharged into surrounding water sources.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in wastewater plants: A review of sources, characteristics, distribution and removal technologies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review provides a comprehensive look at how microplastics enter, move through, and are removed from wastewater treatment plants. Researchers found that while treatment processes can remove a significant portion of microplastics from water, large quantities still escape into rivers and oceans. The study highlights the need for improved treatment technologies and better monitoring to reduce microplastic discharge from these facilities.
Occurrence, Characteristics, and Removal of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes the occurrence, characteristics, and removal efficiency of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, highlighting how these facilities simultaneously act as sinks trapping microplastics and as sources releasing them into surrounding aquatic and terrestrial environments.
The fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: An overview of source and remediation technologies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how wastewater treatment plants serve as key pathways for microplastic entry into the environment, analyzing removal efficiencies across different treatment stages and identifying advanced technologies for improved microplastic remediation.
Recent advances on microplastics pollution and removal from wastewater systems: A critical review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes the latest research on microplastic detection, occurrence, and removal in wastewater treatment plants. While treatment plants can remove 57-99% of microplastics depending on the stage, significant amounts still escape into the environment through treated water and sludge. The findings highlight the need for advanced treatment methods to prevent microplastics from reaching waterways and ultimately human water supplies.
Microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: Sources, properties, removal efficiency, removal mechanisms, and interactions with pollutants
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines microplastic sources, properties, removal efficiency, and removal mechanisms across different wastewater treatment plant stages. Researchers found that while treatment plants remove a significant portion of microplastics, they cannot eliminate them entirely, resulting in the continued release of millions of particles into the environment daily through effluent and sludge.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.