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Article Tier 2 Gut & Microbiome Sign in to save

Occurrence and Fate of Microplastics in Anaerobic Digestion of Dewatered Sludge

2024 2 citations

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Researchers found that microplastics introduced during wastewater treatment are transferred into sewage sludge and survive the anaerobic digestion process, meaning they remain present when sludge is applied to agricultural land. This pathway represents a significant and underappreciated route for microplastic pollution to enter terrestrial ecosystems.

Study Type Environmental

Microplastics (MPs) transferred to sludge during water treatment processes, particularly wastewater treatment, enter anaerobic digesters through sludge treatment prior to its final disposal or reuse. MPs retained in digested sludge confirm the presence of MPs during...

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