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Fate and transport of micro- and nanoplastics in graywater, fresh and marine water systems
Summary
This review chapter summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics move through graywater, freshwater, and marine water systems. The particles enter these systems from multiple sources — consumer products, wastewater, and plastic degradation — and are incompletely removed by conventional treatment. The review highlights the persistence and wide distribution of these particles as major challenges for water quality management.
Widespread usage of plastics and their disintegration resulted in increased micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) concentration in different environmental compartments. The toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation of these plastics are a major concern, since MNPs are not completely removed by conventional treatment methods. This chapter reviews the status of researches on sources, effects, and various facets of macro-, micro-, and nanoplastics and the fate of these pollutants in wastewater and water systems. The occurrence and transport, interactions of MNPs with pharmaceutical compounds, the role of MNPs on emergence of antibiotic resistance in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and their removal are elaborated. The partitioning and mass flow behavior of these compounds in subsurface water systems is discussed. The studies on occurrence, fate, and transport of MNP contaminants that develop antimicrobial resistance in fresh and marine water systems are discussed. The uptake of microcontaminants by the plants tends to transfer them up the food chain. The MNPs enter the sewage system that is specifically designed for treating municipal wastes. Hence, the removal of MNPs in the WWTP is compared with the advanced treatment processes. Finally, several possible practices and recommendations are highlighted to minimize the impact of MNPs on the environment.