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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Detection Methods Environmental Sources Sign in to save

Microplastics Mitigation in Sewage Sludge through Pyrolysis: The Role of Pyrolysis Temperature

Environmental Science & Technology Letters 2020 151 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Jing Sun, Jing Sun, Qiuxiang Xu, Qiuxiang Xu, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Jing Sun, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Zhuo-Ran Zhu, Zhuo-Ran Zhu, Zhuo-Ran Zhu, Zhuo-Ran Zhu, Jing Sun, Jing Sun, Jing Sun, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Jing Sun, Jing Sun, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Weihua Li, Weihua Li, Weihua Li, Zhuo-Ran Zhu, Jing Sun, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Zhuo-Ran Zhu, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaofang Yan, Xiaofang Yan, Wei Wei, Qiuxiang Xu, Qiuxiang Xu, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaofang Yan, Xiaofang Yan, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Jing Sun, Jing Sun, Qiuxiang Xu, Qiuxiang Xu, Jing Sun, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Qiuxiang Xu, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Jing Sun, Zhaohui Xia, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Zhaohui Xia, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Jing Sun, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni

Summary

The effect of pyrolysis on reducing microplastic content in sewage sludge was investigated in a lab-scale study evaluating multiple pyrolysis temperature conditions. Pyrolysis effectively degraded microplastic particles in sludge, with higher temperatures achieving greater microplastic reduction, positioning pyrolysis as a viable treatment for managing microplastic-laden organic waste.

Polymers
PE PP

Sewage sludge is an important source of introducing microplastics into the environment, and thus, effective mitigation of microplastics in the sludge is in urgent need. Herein, the effect of pyrolysis on microplastics reduction in sewage sludge was investigated through a lab-scale study. The micro-Raman analysis showed that the microplastics concentrations in sludge residues decreased significantly from 550.8 to 960.9 particles/g to 1.4–2.3 particles/g with the pyrolysis temperature increasing to 500 °C, and no tiny (10–50 μm) microplastics remained. Polyethylene and polypropylene, the two most abundant microplastics in sewage sludge, were entirely degraded when the pyrolysis temperature reached 450 °C. However, during the pyrolysis process, new plastic polymers could be produced through the reaction between original microplastics with organics in sludge, and heavy metals in sludge can also be combined. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy analysis of spiked microplastics showed that incomplete pyrolysis at low temperatures could result in rough surface morphology of microplastics, making it more readily to adsorb contaminants. Overall, the results of this study provide the first insight into the effectiveness of microplastics control in sewage sludge through pyrolysis, but to avoid potential environmental risks induced by incomplete pyrolysis, a pyrolysis temperature of 450 °C should be reached at least.

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