Effects of biodegradable microplastics on organic micropollutants biodegradation in river bank sediments

The impact of micro- and nanoplastics (MPs, NPs) on the microbial communities in river bank sediment and their pollutant removal capabilities have not been thoroughly investigated. River bank filtration (RBF), a well-established water treatment process, leverages the natural filtration capabilities of sediments to remove pollutants from surface water via biological, chemical, and physical mechanisms. Specially, RBF sediments are crucial for degrading organic micropollutants (OMPs) due to the high concentration of active microorganisms. In freshwater systems, MPs are an emerging contaminant, with sediments serving as their primary sink. MPs have the capability to adsorb OMPs, potentially affecting their bioavailability in RBF systems. Additionally, by altering sediment physicochemical properties, releasing carbon sources, and introducing toxic additives, MPs can impact sedimentary microbial community structure and function. This may potentially affect the activity of OMP-degrading bacteria, thereby altering the microbial transformation of these pollutants. We designed a batch study to examine the effects of polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and biodegradable polylactide (PLA) on the removal of 10 OMPs in RBF sediments via biodegradation and adsorption. OMPs (1 µg/L) were chosen according to their relevance in Dutch RBF systems. Sediments were collected from a Dutch RBF site and amended with 1 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/557362/document