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From wastewater treatment plants to farmland: Microplastic quantification, transfer, and risk assessment from biosolids use in Tasmania, Australia
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Researchers quantified microplastics in wastewater and biosolids from Tasmanian treatment plants, detecting 127 to 138 particles per gram in biosolids, with polyethylene as the most abundant polymer. The study estimates that billions of microplastic particles are transferred annually to agricultural soils through biosolids reuse, and a preliminary risk assessment suggests these levels may pose ecological concerns.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been reported to remove microplastics (MPs) from influent wastewater; however, the reuse of biosolids transfers MPs to agricultural soils, posing potential environmental concerns. This study quantifies MPs including particles <20 μm in wastewater and biosolids from Tasmanian WWTPs, estimating their transfer to agricultural soils via biosolids reuse, and assessing its preliminary ecological risks. Using FPA-μFTIR, we detected 163.50-206.5 MPs/L in influent wastewater and 127.67-138.0 MPs/g in biosolids across WWTPs. Fragments were the predominant morphotype among the identified MPs, while the majority (48.4 %-67.1 %) of particles were within the >10-20 μm size range. Given the ∼11 μm detection limit of the FPA-μFTIR, some smaller particles may have gone undetected. Polyethylene (PE) was the most abundant polymer, followed by PVC, PU, PP, and PET. In this study, based on regional biosolids application rates, it was estimated that between 3.43 × 1010 to 1.30 × 1011 MP particles are transferred annually to Tasmanian agricultural soils. A preliminary risk assessment using the Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) suggests MPs may threaten soil health, though toxicity uncertainties persist. These findings highlight the need for enhanced MP monitoring in biosolids to inform sustainable reuse policies, aligning with emerging global regulations. Further research into MP fate and biological interactions in soils is needed to establish an extensive robust risk threshold.
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This comprehensive study quantified microplastics in 146 biosolid samples from 13 Australian wastewater treatment plants across seasons, finding concentrations of 11 to 150 microplastics per gram dry weight with higher levels in cold, wet seasons. PET, polyurethane, and polymethyl methacrylate were the most abundant polymers, raising concerns about microplastic transport to agricultural soils through biosolid land application.
Investigation and analysis of microplastics in sewage sludge and biosolids: A case study from one wastewater treatment works in the UK
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sewage sludge and biosolids at a UK wastewater treatment plant and found significant quantities of microplastics persisting through the treatment process. Since millions of tonnes of biosolids are applied to farmland annually in the UK, this represents a major pathway for microplastic pollution entering agricultural soils. The study highlights the need for better monitoring and treatment methods to reduce microplastic transfer from wastewater to the terrestrial environment.
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Researchers quantified microplastic particles in Canadian biosolids from wastewater treatment plants across multiple provinces, providing broader national estimates of microplastic concentrations that enter terrestrial ecosystems through agricultural land application.
An audit of microplastic abundance throughout three Australian wastewater treatment plants
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Microplastic abundance was audited throughout three Australian wastewater treatment plants, tracking particles from influent through all treatment stages and into both effluent and biosolids. While treatment removed most microplastics from effluent, the majority were captured in biosolids — which are often land-applied — highlighting biosolids as the primary pathway for microplastics leaving wastewater treatment systems.
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Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in biosolids from two suppliers and in agricultural soils before and after biosolid application in Ontario, Canada, finding that biosolid application contributed 8,700–14,000 microplastic particles per kilogram of dry soil to agricultural fields.
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