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Point-source tracking of microplastics in sewerage systems. Finding the culprit

Water Research 2024 28 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Rasmus Nielsen, Lucian Iordachescu, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Lauriane Barritaud, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Lauriane Barritaud, Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Marie‐Pierre Denieul, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lauriane Barritaud, Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Lauriane Barritaud, Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Lucian Iordachescu, Jes Vollertsen Emmanuel Plessis, Rasmus Nielsen, Emmanuel Plessis, Marie‐Pierre Denieul, Marie‐Pierre Denieul, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Marie‐Pierre Denieul, Emmanuel Plessis, Gilles Baratto, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Konstantinos Papacharalampos, Emmanuel Plessis, Gilles Baratto, Jes Vollertsen Gilles Baratto, Veronique Julien, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Veronique Julien, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Gilles Baratto, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Veronique Julien, Jes Vollertsen Veronique Julien, Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen Jes Vollertsen

Summary

Researchers traced microplastic pollution back to specific sources within sewerage systems by sampling wastewater from hospitals, food processing facilities, and domestic drains. They found that each source had a distinct microplastic fingerprint in terms of polymer type, size, and concentration. The study demonstrates that targeted source tracking within sewer networks could help identify and reduce the largest contributors of microplastic pollution before it reaches treatment plants.

Study Type Environmental

Prior microplastic (MP) research has focused more on the efficiency of removal techniques within wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), with comparatively less emphasis placed on identifying and understanding the sources of MPs. In this study, the presence of MP in wastewater from various sources and their associated WWTPs was investigated. Utilising focal plane array micro Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FPA-μFTIR), the chemical composition, size distribution, and mass of MPs were quantified. Notably, wastewater generated from an industrial laundry facility exhibited the highest MP concentration of 6900 counts L or 716 μg L. Domestic sewage contained MP levels (1534 counts L; 158 μg L) similar to those at the WWTPs (1640 counts L; 114 μg L). Polyester was identified as a significant component in most of the sources, predominantly originating from the shedding of fibres during textile washing. Additionally, a post-processing software was employed to compare two methods for fibre identification: aspect ratio and elongation ratio. These findings underscore the potential environmental impact of domestic activities and laundry washing on wastewater MP content.

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