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A Survey of Microplastic Pollution from Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent Within the Lake Champlain Basin
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A survey of wastewater treatment plant effluent found that microplastics — primarily fibers from synthetic clothing — pass through treatment processes and are discharged to waterways. The study highlights treated wastewater as a major pathway for microfiber microplastics to enter rivers and coastal waters.
Microplastics are an emerging and ubiquitous pollutant. Recent studies suggest that consumer care products and laundering of synthetic garments are major sources of microplastics. Most current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) technologies are limited in their ability to remove particulate <5mm in size and pose a threat to aquatic organisms. Since 2013, we have been surveying WWTP post-treatment effluent samples with the city of Plattsburgh, NY (N = 61), in 2016 we brought online St Albans, VT (N = 64), Ticonderoga, NY (N = 42), and Burlington, VT (N = 21), and in 2017 Vergennes, VT (N = 20). Post-treatment effluent samples derive from 24 hour plant sampling events and were processed using wet peroxide oxidation methods. All samples were characterized based on the type of microplastic (e.g., fragment, fiber, pellet, film, foam), size, and color, as well as polymer type using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Plant-specific characterization revealed fibers were the most common microplastic in Vergennes (55%) and Ticonderoga (39%), as compared to foam (52%) in St. Albans, fragments (43%) in Plattsburgh, and similar proportions of fragment and films (31%) in Burlington. Estimated output of microplastic particles per day were: Plattsburgh (n = 14,972), St. Albans (n = 28,620), Burlington (n = 19,806), Ticonderoga (n = 10,544), and Vergennes (n = 576). Additionally, polymer type varied by plant and included HDPE, PVA, and styrene. Differences likely reflect plant characteristics, for example Plattsburgh and Burlington serve a similar sized population and have a similar capacity, the difference in particle abundances may be due to varied infrastructure updates. In addition, St. Albans and Vergennes have tertiary treatment; however dates of recent upgrades vary. Microplastic pollution is a concern when we account for plant 24 flow rate and lakewide distribution. Microplastics have the potential to adsorb harmful chemicals residing in the water and pose risk to aquatic organisms and human health. By documenting wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics, we can share these findings with plant operators, lake stewards, government officials, and work towards solutions both up and downstream.
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Microplastic Pollution: A Survey of Wastewater Effluent in the Lake Champlain Basin
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This survey investigated microplastic pollution in wastewater effluent discharging into the Lake Champlain Basin in Vermont and New York, quantifying microplastic concentrations and types reaching the lake via treated sewage. The findings highlight wastewater treatment plants as an important pathway for microplastic entry into freshwater systems.
Microplastic threat to aquatic ecosystems of the municipal wastewater treatment plant
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This review examined wastewater treatment plants as major sources of microplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems, finding that effluents carrying cosmetic microbeads and synthetic clothing fibers represent a significant ongoing pathway for plastic particles to enter rivers and lakes.
A Survey of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent in the Lake Champlain Basin
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Researchers surveyed microplastic concentrations in wastewater treatment plant effluent across the Lake Champlain Basin, using acid-peroxide digestion to prepare samples for quantification of MP loads entering the watershed.
Municipal effluent as a potential source of microplastics in the aquatic environment
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This review examined municipal wastewater treatment plants as potential sources of microplastics—including microbeads from personal care products and synthetic fibers from laundry—in aquatic environments. While modern treatment plants remove a significant fraction of microplastics, they may still discharge millions of particles per day and their capacity to remove the smallest particles is limited.
Microfibers from synthetic textiles as a major source of microplastics in the environment: A review
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This review examines how synthetic textile garments release thousands of microplastic fibers during each wash cycle, making laundry a major source of microplastic pollution. Even though wastewater treatment plants capture most fibers, billions still escape into waterways each day because the incoming volume is so enormous. These fibers end up in rivers, oceans, and soil, where they can be consumed by aquatic life and eventually reach humans through the food chain.
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