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Elucidating degradation properties, microbial community, and mechanism of microplastics in sewage sludge under different terminal electron acceptors conditions
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Researchers found that the type of terminal electron acceptor significantly controls the degradation rates and pathways of polylactic acid, polyvinyl chloride, and polyhydroxyalkanoate microplastics in sewage sludge, with aerobic conditions promoting faster degradation than anaerobic alternatives.
This study is designed to investigate the roles of five key terminal electron acceptors (TEAs): O, NO, Fe, SO, and CHO, typically existing in the sludge on the degradation rates and pathways of three representative MPs: polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The results revealed that approximately 51.46 ∼ 52.70% of PHA was degraded within 43 days, despite PLA and PVC being degraded insignificantly. Different TEAs significantly affected the end-products of PHA. The production rate of acetate gradually decreased from 90.48, 42.67, 38.30, and 17.56 to 3.30% when the TEAs were tested with CHO, O, SO, NO and Fe, respectively. The main functional bacteria involved in the PHA degradation were hydrolysis bacteria Burkholderiaceae and homo-acetogenic bacteria Clostridiacea, which accounted for 0.83% and 18.91% of the microbes. The current investigation could help improve understanding of MPs degradation pathways and mechanisms and minimize their risks in practice.
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Unraveling the effects and mechanisms of microplastics on anaerobic fermentation: Exploring microbial communities and metabolic pathways
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Researchers investigated how five types of microplastics affect the anaerobic fermentation process used to treat sewage sludge. They found that polyethylene microplastics caused the greatest reduction in volatile fatty acid production, while polyvinyl chloride had the least impact, and all types disrupted microbial communities in distinct ways. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in wastewater could meaningfully interfere with sludge treatment efficiency.
The impacts of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastic on the performance and microbial community characterization of aerobic granular sludge
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Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics and non-biodegradable polyethylene microplastics on aerobic granular sludge used in wastewater treatment. They found that high concentrations of both types impaired the sludge's ability to remove organic pollutants, but both actually enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal at moderate levels. The study reveals that even biodegradable microplastics can disrupt wastewater treatment processes in unexpected ways.
Degradation of microplastics and the plastisphere bacteria in the acidogenic phase of simulated municipal solid waste landfilling
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Researchers simulated conditions inside a municipal solid waste landfill and found that different microplastic types (PE, PS, and PLA) aged and degraded at very different rates during the acidogenic leachate phase, with distinct microbial communities forming on each plastic type. This matters because landfills are both sources and sinks for microplastics, and understanding how plastics degrade there helps predict what eventually leaches into groundwater and surrounding soil.
From impact to restoration: Biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics in microalgal-bacterial granular sludge systems
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Even "biodegradable" plastics aren't automatically harmless: researchers found that at high concentrations, tiny bits of polylactic acid (PLA) plastic, a common eco-friendly plastic used in things like compostable cups and food packaging, can seriously disrupt the microbe communities that treat our wastewater and remove pollutants. The good news is these treatment systems bounced back within a month once the plastic exposure stopped, but the finding is a reminder that swapping regular plastics for "biodegradable" ones doesn't eliminate their environmental impact, which matters since wastewater treatment plays a role in ke
Effects of microplastics on the properties of different types of sewage sludge and strategies to overcome the inhibition: A review
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This review examined how microplastics trapped in sewage sludge during wastewater treatment affect sludge properties, microbial communities, and treatment efficiency, while discussing strategies to overcome microplastic-induced inhibition of sludge processing.
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