We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The role of wastewater treatment plants in surface water contamination by plastic pollutants
Summary
This review examined how wastewater treatment plants act as both a barrier and a source of microplastic contamination in surface waters, finding that while they remove a large fraction of incoming microplastics, significant quantities still pass through in treated effluent. Improving filtration is identified as a key strategy for reducing plastic pollution in rivers and coastal waters.
The aim of this paper was to review the literature data regarding the physico-chemical characteristic of plastic pollutants discharged with municipal sewage, the practical possibility of removing microplastic particles from wastewater during different treatment steps in WWTPs and the problem of surface water contamination within them. Microplastics (the size range of 1 nm to < 5 mm), have been recognized as an emerging threat, as well as an ecotoxicological and ecological risk for water ecosystems. Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are mentioned as the main point sources of microplastics in an aquatic environment. Microplastic particles can be effectively removed in the primary treatment zones via solids skimming and sludge settling processes. Different tertiary treatment processes such as: gravity sand filtration, discfilter, air flotation and membrane filtration provide substantial additional removal of microplastics, and the efficiency of wastewater treatment process can be at a removal level of 99.9%. Nevertheless, given the large volumes of effluent constantly discharged to receivers, even tertiary level WWTPs may constitute a considerable source of microplastics in the surface water.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
The Effect of Wastewater Treatment Plants on Retainment of Plastic Microparticles to Enhance Water Quality—A Review
This review examined how well wastewater treatment plants remove microplastics, finding that most conventional systems achieve high removal rates but still discharge significant plastic quantities in treated effluent and sludge. Improving treatment efficiency and preventing sludge application to farmland are key strategies for reducing microplastic release.
Toward a Better Understanding of the Contribution of Wastewater Treatment Plants to Microplastic Pollution in Receiving Waterways
This review examines how wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contribute to microplastic pollution in receiving waterways, synthesizing evidence on removal efficiencies of different treatment stages and the characteristics of microplastics that escape into the environment. Researchers found that while WWTPs remove the majority of incoming microplastics, they remain a significant source of microplastic discharge due to the large volumes of wastewater processed daily.
Waste water treatment as a source of microplastic pollution
This conference abstract examines how wastewater treatment plants are a key pathway for microplastics from urban sources into rivers and ultimately the ocean. It frames improving wastewater treatment as a critical step for reducing the flow of microplastics into aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastics in wastewater plants: A review of sources, characteristics, distribution and removal technologies
This review provides a comprehensive look at how microplastics enter, move through, and are removed from wastewater treatment plants. Researchers found that while treatment processes can remove a significant portion of microplastics from water, large quantities still escape into rivers and oceans. The study highlights the need for improved treatment technologies and better monitoring to reduce microplastic discharge from these facilities.
Sources, fate, effects, and analysis of microplastic in wastewater treatment plants: A review
This review examines how wastewater treatment plants handle microplastics, finding that while they can remove over 90% of particles, the sheer volume of water processed means billions of microplastics still escape into waterways daily. The remaining microplastics also concentrate in sewage sludge, which is often spread on agricultural land. Wastewater treatment plants are both a filter for and a redistribution point of microplastic pollution.