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Are Rural and Small Community Aerated Wastewater Stabilization Ponds a Neglected Source of Microplastic Pollution?
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Researchers characterized microplastic occurrence in an aerated wastewater stabilization pond serving a small rural community and in an adjacent lake, finding microplastics in duckweed and sediment. Small-scale wastewater treatment systems serving rural communities may be an overlooked source of microplastic pollution.
Wastewater treatment systems collect and treat sewage that includes microplastics (MPs). However, we are not aware of any studies on the occurrence and distribution of MPs in wastewater stabilization ponds (WSPs), which serve small communities worldwide. Here, we characterized MPs (~45 µm–5 mm) in an aerated WSP serving ~500 houses and an adjacent lake. Putative MPs were most abundant in duckweed (Lemna minor) and sludge (75 ± 22 and 12.8 ± 3.1 particles/g, respectively: ±1 standard deviation (SD), n = 6, dry weight). In the water, average concentrations (particles/L ± 1 SD, n = 6) were highest in the pond (4.1 ± 0.6), followed by effluent (3.9 ± 0.5) and the lake (2.6 ± 0.6). Over 20 types of MPs were identified in each different compartment, with the distribution varying somewhat between the water, sludge, and duckweed. Polyester and polyethylene were the predominant types, followed by polyethylene terephthalate, polyacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and others. Morphologies consisted of fibers (62–71%), fragments (28–37%), and beads (1–6%). High-density polymers were more frequently found in sludge. Potential sources of the MPs include synthetic textiles from laundry and other plastics washed down household drains. Overall, with ~786,000 MPs/day released in the pond effluent and with duckweed a source of food for waterfowl, we demonstrate that WSPs can be point sources of MPs to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and thus deserve further scrutiny.
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Wastewater Treatment Plants as Hotspots of Microplastic Pollution
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This review characterizes wastewater treatment plants as hotspots of microplastic pollution, documenting how these facilities receive, partially retain, and release large quantities of microplastics into aquatic environments. The incomplete removal of microplastics by wastewater treatment plants means treated effluent remains a major source of pollution in rivers and coastal waters, sustaining the cycle of environmental contamination and human dietary exposure.
Occurrence of microplastics in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants : growing threat to the environment?
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This review examines studies on microplastic occurrence in wastewater treatment plant effluents, synthesizing evidence that treatment plants both retain and release significant quantities of microplastics and are a major pathway for plastic particles entering aquatic environments.
Microplastics in a Stormwater Pond
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Researchers analyzed microplastics in the water, sediments, and vertebrate fauna of a stormwater retention pond, finding widespread microplastic contamination across all compartments with the pond appearing to act as a sink that concentrates microplastics from urban runoff.
Are wastewater treatment plants as the source of microplastics in surface water and soil?
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Researchers investigated the relationship between microplastic contamination in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and in nearby surface water and soil, finding that while WWTPs effectively remove most microplastics, they still contribute to surrounding environmental contamination.
Wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics to the environment.
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This study was the first to characterize the contribution of a wastewater treatment plant to microplastic pollution in a receiving water body, confirming that plants are significant sources of microplastics despite removing the majority of particles. The findings highlight the need to upgrade treatment processes or implement new technologies specifically targeting microplastic removal.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.