Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Unraveling Co-Pyrolysis Mechanisms for Municipal Sludge and Microplastics: Thermodynamic, Kinetic, and Product Insights

Wastewater treatment plants produce large quantities of sewage sludge, which is often contaminated with microplastics from household and industrial sources. This study tested whether co-pyrolyzing sludge with polyethylene (HDPE) or PET plastic waste at high temperatures could improve energy recovery while processing microplastics. Adding 30% HDPE maximized the overall pyrolysis efficiency and changed the chemical reaction pathways, while PET had stronger facilitating effects at mid-range temperatures. The research suggests that co-pyrolysis could serve the dual purpose of sludge disposal and microplastic destruction, though the altered reaction kinetics and product mixtures require careful management.

2026 Processes
Article Tier 2

How microplastics affect sludge pyrolysis behavior: Thermogravimetry-mass spectrum analysis and biochar characteristics

Microplastics in sewage sludge alter how the sludge burns during pyrolysis: PVC microplastics sped up decomposition while polyethylene and polypropylene slowed it down. This matters because sewage sludge from wastewater plants contains thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram, and understanding how they change the energy recovery and byproduct quality of sludge treatment helps improve the management of this widespread microplastic sink.

2023 Waste Management 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of microplastic during pyrolysis of sewage sludge

Researchers investigated what happens to microplastics embedded in sewage sludge when sludge is treated by pyrolysis, a high-temperature thermochemical process. Pyrolysis effectively destroyed most microplastic particles, but some residual polymer-derived compounds partitioned into the pyrolysis products.

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

Fate of microplastic during pyrolysis of sewage sludge

Researchers examined how pyrolysis as a sewage sludge treatment method affects the fate of embedded microplastics, finding that thermal treatment largely destroys plastic particles. However, some polymer-derived volatile compounds transferred to pyrolysis gases and oils, suggesting that microplastic destruction does not eliminate all associated chemical risks.

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

MicroplasticDegradation through Thermal Hydrolysisin Sewage Sludge and Its Impact on the Anaerobic Process

Researchers investigated the fate of microplastics in sewage sludge during thermal hydrolysis pretreatment and found that temperatures of 140-180°C significantly degraded microplastics while also affecting subsequent anaerobic biogas production from the treated sludge.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Mitigation in Sewage Sludge through Pyrolysis: The Role of Pyrolysis Temperature

The effect of pyrolysis on reducing microplastic content in sewage sludge was investigated in a lab-scale study evaluating multiple pyrolysis temperature conditions. Pyrolysis effectively degraded microplastic particles in sludge, with higher temperatures achieving greater microplastic reduction, positioning pyrolysis as a viable treatment for managing microplastic-laden organic waste.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 151 citations
Article Tier 2

The interaction between sludge and microplastics during thermal hydrolysis of sludge

Researchers studied how polyethylene and PET microplastics behave during thermal hydrolysis of municipal sludge at temperatures between 120 and 180 degrees Celsius. They found a mutual promotion relationship where sludge degradation accelerated microplastic aging, while the microplastics enhanced the breakdown of organic compounds in the sludge. The study suggests that thermal hydrolysis of sludge shows promise for simultaneously treating both sludge and microplastic contamination.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sewage sludge destined to anaerobic digestion: The potential role of thermal pretreatment

Researchers found that thermal pretreatment of sewage sludge at 120°C did not degrade conventional PET microplastics but did alter biodegradable microplastics, which also boosted methane production during anaerobic digestion, raising concerns about how different microplastic types behave in sludge treatment.

2022 Chemosphere 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Degradation through Thermal Hydrolysis in Sewage Sludge and Its Impact on the Anaerobic Process

Researchers found that thermal hydrolysis pretreatment of sewage sludge reduced microplastic concentrations from 206 particles/g to lower levels, with approximately 54% of microplastics initially in solid phase, and examined the implications for sludge management and microplastic fate.

2025 ACS ES&T Water
Article Tier 2

Thermal hydrolysis alleviates polyethylene microplastic-induced stress in anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge

Scientists found that pretreating waste sludge with heat before anaerobic digestion reduced the negative effects that polyethylene microplastics have on the process. The thermal treatment improved methane production and helped maintain healthy microbial communities even in the presence of microplastics. The study suggests that thermal hydrolysis could be a practical strategy for wastewater treatment plants dealing with microplastic-contaminated sludge.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 28 citations
Article Tier 2

The Pyrolysis of Biosolids in a Novel Closed Coupled Pyrolysis and Gasification Technology: Pilot Plant Trials, Aspen Plus Modelling, and a Techno-Economic Analysis

Researchers tested a novel closed-coupled pyrolysis and gasification system for processing biosolids (sewage sludge), measuring energy recovery and the fate of contaminants including microplastics during thermal treatment. The system achieved high energy recovery while thermally destroying microplastics present in the biosolids.

2024 Water 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrating Pyrolysis or Combustion with Scrubbing to Maximize the Nutrient and Energy Recovery from Municipal Sewage Sludge

This study modeled how combining pyrolysis or combustion with gas scrubbing could recover heat and nutrients from municipal sewage sludge at wastewater treatment plants. Since sewage sludge is a major sink for microplastics, improved sludge management is relevant to reducing the spread of microplastics through biosolid land application.

2021 Recycling 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes in physicochemical and leachate characteristics of microplastics during hydrothermal treatment of sewage sludge

Researchers examined hydrothermal treatment of sewage sludge containing microplastics and found that while the process degraded polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET to varying degrees, it also generated potentially harmful leachates, highlighting trade-offs in this treatment approach.

2022 Water Research 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Pyrolysis-induced migration and transformation of heavy metals in sewage sludge containing microplastics

Researchers studied how the presence of PVC and PET microplastics affects the behavior of heavy metals during sewage sludge pyrolysis. They found that microplastic addition influenced the migration and chemical transformation of metals like chromium, copper, and zinc during heating, with effects varying by plastic type and concentration. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in sewage sludge should be considered when designing pyrolysis processes for sludge recycling.

2024 Waste Management 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of alkaline thermal hydrolysis on anaerobic digestion of mixed sludge contaminated with microplastics

Researchers tested alkaline thermal hydrolysis pretreatment on sludge containing polyethylene and PVC microplastics before anaerobic digestion, finding that the pretreatment altered how microplastics affected subsequent methane production, with effects varying by polymer type and concentration.

2025 Journal of Water Process Engineering
Article Tier 2

Energy recovery from sewage sludge waste blends: Detailed characteristics of pyrolytic oil and gas

Laboratory-scale co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge blended with polyethylene, polypropylene, paper rejects, and waste tyres produced pyrolytic oils and gases with detailed chemical characterizations relevant to assessing this approach for energy recovery from mixed waste streams.

2024 Environmental Technology & Innovation 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and metal-free/metal-loaded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics improved biochar properties and reduced environmental risk of heavy metals

Sewage sludge was co-pyrolyzed with metal-laden and metal-free PVC microplastics, producing biochars with improved properties and reduced environmental risk from heavy metals compared to pyrolyzing sludge alone. The study demonstrates co-pyrolysis as a strategy to address both plastic and heavy metal pollution in sludge treatment processes.

2022 Environmental Pollution 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Thermal hydrolysis intensifies the targeted inhibition of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics on anaerobic methanogenesis in sludge: Path identification and quantitative mechanism research

Researchers found that thermal hydrolysis pretreatment intensifies the inhibitory effects of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics on anaerobic methanogenesis in sludge by altering transformation pathways, and quantified the relative contributions of these pathways using isotopic labeling and metabolic flux analysis.

2025 Environmental 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

Fate of microplastics during conventional and hydrothermal treatments of sewage sludge: a short review

This review examines the fate of microplastics during conventional and hydrothermal treatment of sewage sludge, noting that approximately 90% of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants are retained in sludge. Researchers found that while conventional disposal routes concentrate microplastics in sludge destined for land application, hydrothermal treatments offer potential pathways to degrade or transform microplastics, though the efficiency and byproducts of these processes require further investigation.

2025 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science