We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Nitrogen removal performance of bioretention cells under polyethylene (PE) microplastic stress
Summary
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the nitrogen removal performance of bioretention cells used to filter stormwater runoff. The study found that microplastic accumulation reduced overall nitrogen removal efficiency by up to 28% while altering the microbial community structure responsible for denitrification.
The use of bioretention cells as a stormwater control measure allows stormwater runoff to be collected and filtered, effectively removing microplastics and other pollutants from stormwater. This study investigated the effect of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) retention on the bioretention cell, in terms of denitrification performance and microbial community structure. Four PE-MP exposures were compared at different concentrations of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L under alternating dry and wet period conditions. Results showed that the removal efficiency reduced by 14.99%, 28.37% and 18.59% with PE-MP concentrations of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L. The NO-N removal efficiency increased by 36.19%, 20.19% and 35.39%. After 8 days of dry conditions, the NO-N removal efficiencies of the bioretention cells were reduced by 36.66%, 46.86% and 31.11% compared to those after 2 days of dry conditions. Microbial sequencing results indicated that the accumulation of PE-MPs changed the microbial community structure within the bioretention cell filler material, promoting the growth of bacteria such as Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Furthermore, PE-MPs reduced the relative abundance of nitrifying bacteria (e.g. Nitrospira) within the bioretention cell and promoted denitrifying bacteria (e.g. Dechloromonas and Hydrogenophaga), along with numerous other genera such as Azotobacter and Nocardia.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Impact and mechanism of microplastics on the denitrification of a bioretention system
Researchers studied how microplastics from disposable face masks affect the ability of bioretention systems to remove nitrogen from stormwater runoff. They found that accumulating microplastics reduced nitrogen removal efficiency and suppressed key denitrifying bacteria and enzyme activity. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may compromise the performance of green infrastructure designed to filter and clean urban stormwater.
Insight into effect of polyethylene microplastic on nitrogen removal in moving bed biofilm reactor: Focusing on microbial community and species interactions
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment bioreactors and found that low concentrations slightly improved the process, while higher concentrations disrupted it. The microplastics changed the microbial communities responsible for breaking down nitrogen in wastewater. This matters because less effective wastewater treatment means more nitrogen pollution in waterways, and microplastics entering treatment plants could reduce their ability to clean water effectively.
Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the nitrogen removal and bacterial community in sequencing batch reactor at different hydraulic retention times
Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal performance in biological wastewater treatment at different hydraulic retention times. The study found that the presence of microplastics amplified the negative effects of shortened treatment times on nitrogen removal efficiency and altered bacterial communities and enzyme levels involved in nitrification and denitrification, offering new insights into how microplastics interfere with wastewater treatment processes.
Microplastics perturb nitrogen removal, microbial community and metabolism mechanism in biofilm system
Researchers found that polystyrene and PET microplastics reduced total nitrogen removal by 7-16% in biofilm wastewater treatment systems by causing cell damage, altering microbial community structure, and suppressing key genes involved in denitrification and nitrogen conversion.
[Removal Mechanism of Microplastics in Bioretention Systems and the Influence of Their Enrichment on the Treatment of Pollutants in the System].
Researchers reviewed how bioretention systems, a low-impact stormwater management strategy, can remove microplastics from urban runoff through adsorption, filtration, and biodegradation. However, because microplastics resist degradation and have large surface areas, they tend to accumulate in these systems over time, forming composite pollution with other contaminants. The study found that microplastic accumulation altered soil properties, impeded plant growth, and reduced the system's ability to remove nutrients, particularly dissolved nitrogen.