Characteristics of Microplastics in a Hospital Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent and Hazard Risk Assessment

Plastic products are widely used globally, leading to their extensive presence in various wastewaters, water resources, and the environment, which poses environmental risks. Wastewater treatment plants are a significant source of the entry and release of microplastics (MPs) into the environment. So, this study aims to investigate the abundance, shape, size, color, type of polymer, and risk of microplastic hazards in a hospital wastewater treatment plant. The method of analysis included physical separation by filtration using a stainless metal sieve, chemical digestion and counting/characterization by optical methods. The study utilized FESEM and FTIR analysis to examine the surface morphology and identify the polymer type of the MPs. A semi-quantitative risk assessment model was used to calculate the production risk of polymers present in the wastewater. The study found that the most common shape of microplastic particles in hospital wastewater treatment plants was fiber, and the predominant polymer identified was polypropylene. The hazard risk associated with certain polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, and polyethylene, was found to be higher than the standard rate obtained from other studies. These findings highlight the need for further assessment and investigation of the environmental risks and impacts associated with MPs entering the environment through wastewater treatment plants. In order to further reduce and control these substances, solutions such as establishing environmental laws, reducing consumption and, if possible, replacing them with other materials should be implemented. • The most common microplastics shapes observed were fibers. • The most common microplastics colors observed were black. • The most common polymers observed were polypropylene. • Polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, and polyethylene polymers have a high hazard risk.