Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A novel method for organic matter removal from samples containing microplastics

Researchers developed a novel organic matter removal method for wastewater treatment plant sludge samples containing microplastics, demonstrating that the approach is more time- and cost-effective than existing techniques while preserving microplastic integrity for accurate quantification and identification.

2021 Environmental Pollution 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics extraction from wastewater treatment plants: Two-step digestion pre-treatment and application

Researchers developed an optimized two-step digestion method for extracting microplastics from wastewater treatment plant samples, achieving high recovery rates especially in organic-rich matrices like sludge, and applied it across multiple treatment stages.

2023 Water Research 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics quantification in sewage sludge: A rapid and cost-effective approach

Researchers developed a rapid and cost-effective image-based method for quantifying microplastics in sewage sludge, using digital image analysis to count and size MP particles without requiring expensive spectroscopic equipment, offering a practical tool for routine sludge monitoring.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimization of a method used for extracting microplastics from an organic matter-rich matrix and isolated particles assessment

Researchers optimized a method for extracting microplastics from sewage sludge — a challenging organic-rich matrix — by combining density separation and chemical digestion steps, improving recovery rates and enabling more accurate characterization of sludge-associated microplastics.

2025 Chemosphere 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined application of analytical techniques for microplastic determination to achieve comprehensive results for sewage sludge samples

Researchers combined multiple analytical techniques for comprehensive microplastic determination in sewage sludge samples, addressing the challenge that more than 90% of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants are retained in sludge and require robust multi-method characterization.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A method for the characterisation of microplastics in sludge

Researchers developed a method for detecting and characterizing microplastics in sewage sludge, which concentrates the majority of microplastics removed during wastewater treatment. This method is important because sludge is widely spread on agricultural land, making it a key pathway for microplastics entering soils.

2019 MethodsX 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing Microplastics Recovery from Complex Sludge Samples Using COD-Guided Pretreatment

Researchers developed a reliable method to extract and count microplastic particles from sewage sludge — one of the most heavily contaminated and chemically complex waste products — by using chemical oxygen demand (COD) measurements to track when enough organic matter has been removed for accurate plastic analysis. The standardized protocol achieved over 80% recovery of microplastics and confirmed that urban wastewater treatment plants concentrate roughly 475 microplastic particles per gram of dried sludge.

2024 Water Air & Soil Pollution 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimising sample preparation for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge samples: multiple digestions

Researchers optimized sample digestion protocols for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge, finding that multiple sequential digestion steps improve removal of organic matter while minimizing polymer degradation.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined application of analytical techniques for microplastic determination to achieve comprehensive results for sewage sludge samples

Researchers applied a combination of complementary analytical techniques to achieve comprehensive microplastic characterization in sewage sludge samples, addressing the limitations of using single methods for such complex matrices. They found that more than 90% of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants are retained in the resulting sludge, and that combining analytical approaches improved detection across size ranges and polymer types.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic isolation method for wastewater and sludge samples by removal of excess organic and inorganic interferences

Researchers developed an improved microplastic isolation method for wastewater and sludge samples that removes extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) interfering with detection. The optimized protocol improves the accuracy and reliability of microplastic quantification in complex environmental matrices.

2023 Chemosphere 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid and efficient removal of organic matter from sewage sludge for extraction of microplastics

Researchers tested hydrogen peroxide combined with enzymatic treatment as an efficient method for removing organic matter from sewage sludge before microplastic extraction, overcoming the limitations of acid digestion for organic-rich matrices. The optimized approach improved MP recovery and reduced interference during spectroscopic identification steps.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Behavior and flow of microplastics during sludge treatment in Japan

Sampling of two Osaka wastewater treatment plants found microplastics at every stage of the sludge treatment process, with 13 polymer types identified; concentration increased through dewatering, but the total MP load in final biosolids was lower than in raw sludge.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Improved methodology to determine the fate and transport of microplastics in a secondary wastewater treatment plant

An improved methodology was applied to track the fate and transport of microplastics through a wastewater treatment plant, measuring particle size, shape, and polymer type at multiple treatment stages. The study found that while most microplastics are removed during primary and secondary treatment, smaller particles persist into the effluent and sludge.

2020 Water Research 277 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sewage sludge: Distribution, toxicity, identification methods, and engineered technologies

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, which then becomes a major pathway for spreading these particles into the environment. Researchers found that sludge can contain extremely high concentrations of microplastics, ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of particles per kilogram. The study evaluates current detection methods and emerging technologies for removing microplastics from sludge before it is applied to agricultural land or disposed of.

2022 Chemosphere 106 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate, characteristics, and potential threat of microplastics in sludge under various dewatering treatments

Researchers compared four different sludge dewatering treatments used at wastewater plants and examined how each process affected the microplastics trapped in the sludge. They found that advanced oxidation treatments altered the surface properties of the microplastics and increased their ability to absorb heavy metals. The findings raise concerns that certain sludge treatment methods could make microplastics more environmentally hazardous when the treated sludge is disposed of or reused.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitatively tracing microplastics in sewage sludge using thermodesorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry combined with pyrolysis

Researchers developed a mass-based method using pyrolysis combined with thermal desorption gas chromatography to trace microplastics through sewage sludge treatment processes. They found that total microplastic concentrations dropped from about 8,700 micrograms per gram in primary sludge to roughly 470 micrograms per gram in final treated sludge. Centrifugal dewatering was the most effective step for removing microplastics, while thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion had minimal impact.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimised reduction of total solids and organic matter of sewage sludge matrix for an improved extraction of microplastics

Researchers optimized chemical digestion protocols for extracting microplastics from sewage sludge, finding that maximizing reduction of total solids and organic carbon content significantly improved the reliability and efficiency of subsequent density-based microplastic separation.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

COD as a Dynamic Tool for Pretreatment of Sludge Samples in Microplastic Analysis

Researchers evaluated chemical oxygen demand (COD) treatment as a pretreatment step to improve microplastic extraction from sewage sludge samples. The approach effectively removed organic interference, making it easier to accurately count and identify plastic particles in a matrix that typically complicates analysis.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Enrichment of microplastics from drinking water treatment sludge

Researchers investigated the enrichment and concentration of microplastics in drinking water treatment sludge, building on prior evidence that treatment processes remove up to 93% of microplastics from source water and thereby accumulate them in sludge byproducts. The study developed and evaluated methods for isolating and characterizing microplastics from this underexplored but potentially significant secondary pollution reservoir.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the properties of different types of sewage sludge and strategies to overcome the inhibition: A review

This review examined how microplastics trapped in sewage sludge during wastewater treatment affect sludge properties, microbial communities, and treatment efficiency, while discussing strategies to overcome microplastic-induced inhibition of sludge processing.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Tackling microplastic contamination in sewage sludge: Optimizing organic matter degradation, quantifying microplastic presence, and evaluating ecological risks for sustainable agriculture

Researchers optimized a Fenton reagent-based method to remove 86.6% of organic matter from sewage sludge, enabling more accurate quantification of microplastics in the samples. Analysis of sludge from 14 treatment plants in Ahmedabad, India revealed microplastic concentrations ranging from 2,430 to 227,200 particles per kilogram, with small fibers and fragments being the most abundant. Ecological risk assessments indicated extreme hazard levels, raising concerns about using contaminated sewage sludge as agricultural fertilizer.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of common polymers in sewage sludge purification process developed for microplastic analysis

Researchers developed a three-step sewage sludge purification method and tested its effects on seven common plastic types. Most polymers survived largely intact, supporting the method's use for microplastic analysis, though some materials showed minor surface changes.

2020 Environmental Pollution 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying and identifying microplastics in the effluent of advanced wastewater treatment systems using Raman microspectroscopy

Researchers developed a new method combining chemical digestion and Raman microspectroscopy to identify and quantify microplastics in advanced wastewater treatment effluents, finding large numbers of particles smaller than 10 μm in reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and activated carbon filtration outputs with polyethylene as the most common polymer.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Enrichment of microplastics from drinking water treatment sludge

Researchers developed an enrichment protocol to concentrate and recover microplastics from drinking water treatment sludge, where up to 93% of influent microplastics are captured during treatment but where analysis of the resulting sludge has remained methodologically challenging. The study established extraction and detection procedures to quantify microplastics in this concentrated waste matrix, enabling better characterisation of the fate of removed particles.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)