We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Heavy metal accumulation on microplastics in compost - The role of biofilm
Summary
Microplastics in compost and municipal solid waste can accumulate heavy metals on their surfaces, especially when they develop a biofilm coating of microorganisms. The study found that separating organic and plastic waste streams is essential to prevent microplastics from acting as carriers that transport toxic metals like barium, cadmium, and lead into soils and terrestrial food chains when compost is applied to land.
Microplastics, small plastic pieces ( microplastics washed with distilled water > compost free from microplastics > chemically separated microplastic > new macro-plastic, with some exceptions. Heavy metal concentrations were significantly higher in samples from Kochi, due to a larger bio-film formation on the plastics as determined by TOC and SEM analyses. The findings of the study highlight the importance of source segregation and prevention of mixing organic waste with plastic waste in MSW, to avoid heavy metal transport in terrestrial environment through microplastics.