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Identification of microplastic in effluents of waste water treatment plants using focal plane array-based micro-Fourier-transform infrared imaging
Water Research2016
1413 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Ivo Int-Veen,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Ivo Int-Veen,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Svenja M. Mintenig,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Sebastian Primpke,
Martin G. J. Löder
Sebastian Primpke,
Sebastian Primpke,
Gunnar Gerdts,
Martin G. J. Löder
Summary
Researchers analyzed effluent from 12 wastewater treatment plants in Germany and found microplastics in all of them, with estimates of up to 4 billion particles discharged per plant annually — predominantly polyethylene fragments and polyester fibers. Notably, one plant with an additional post-filtration step reduced microplastic discharge by 97%, showing that advanced filtration can dramatically cut the flow of plastic particles into waterways.
The global presence of microplastic (MP) in aquatic ecosystems has been shown by various studies. However, neither MP concentrations nor their sources or sinks are completely known. Waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered as significant point sources discharging MP to the environment. This study investigated MP in the effluents of 12 WWTPs in Lower Saxony, Germany. Samples were purified by a plastic-preserving enzymatic-oxidative procedure and subsequent density separation using a zinc chloride solution. For analysis, attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR) and focal plane array (FPA)-based transmission micro-FT-IR imaging were applied. This allowed the identification of polymers of all MP down to a size of 20 μm. In all effluents MP was found with quantities ranging from 0 to 5 × 10<sup>1</sup> m<sup>-3</sup> MP > 500 μm and 1 × 10<sup>1</sup> to 9 × 10<sup>3</sup> m<sup>-3</sup> MP < 500 μm. By far, polyethylene was the most frequent polymer type in both size classes. Quantities of synthetic fibres ranged from 9 × 10<sup>1</sup> to 1 × 10<sup>3</sup> m<sup>-3</sup> and were predominantly made of polyester. Considering the annual effluxes of tested WWTPs, total discharges of 9 × 10<sup>7</sup> to 4 × 10<sup>9</sup> MP particles and fibres per WWTP could be expected. Interestingly, one tertiary WWTP had an additionally installed post-filtration that reduced the total MP discharge by 97%. Furthermore, the sewage sludge of six WWTPs was examined and the existence of MP, predominantly polyethylene, revealed. Our findings suggest that WWTPs could be a sink but also a source of MP and thus can be considered to play an important role for environmental MP pollution.