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Monte Carlo simulation for estimating microplastic pollution in a municipal wastewater treatment plant
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Scientists tracked microplastics flowing through a wastewater treatment plant in Türkiye and found that while the plant captures most plastic particles (trapping them in leftover sludge), a huge number still slip through into rivers or waterways, about 6.4 trillion tiny plastic pieces per year. This matters because that sludge is often used as fertilizer on farmland and the treated water re-enters the environment, meaning microplastics can keep cycling back into our food and water supply even after "treatment."
This study investigates microplastic (MP) pollution in influent (W1), effluent (W2), and sludge cake (S) samples from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Türkiye. Statistical distributions characterizing the properties of MP were derived from the collected data. Annual MP loads were estimated using Monte Carlo simulations with 100,000 replications. Results show that approximately 1.23×1014 MPs/year enter the WWTP via W1, while 6.40×1012 MPs/year and 9.38×1013 MPs/year are discharged through W2 and retained in S, respectively. Simulations conducted over a range of 1–4 years demonstrate the robustness of the model and enable the estimation of MP load across sampling points. Statistical tests revealed significant seasonal and spatial differences in MP concentrations, particularly between summer and winter. These findings confirm the reliability of the simulation approach for assessing MP pollution in WWTPs.
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