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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Effect of Wastewater Treatment Plants on Microplastics in Mussels and Their Surrounding Environment
ClearSpatial patterns of microplastics in freshwater bivalves (Bivalvia: Unionidae and Sphaeriidae) relative to municipal wastewater effluent discharges
Microplastics were found in freshwater bivalves (fingernail clams and mussels) collected along 155 km of Ontario's Grand River, with significantly higher concentrations downstream of municipal wastewater treatment plant discharges, confirming WWTPs as key sources of microplastic contamination in filter-feeding freshwater organisms.
Is blue mussel caging an efficient method for monitoring environmental microplastics pollution?
Researchers compared microplastics ingested by caged depurated blue mussels with those in native mussels and surrounding sediments along a pollution gradient near a WWTP, finding that 93% of transplanted mussels had ingested MPs after 6 weeks. The results validate mussel caging as an effective active biomonitoring method for environmental microplastic levels.
A holistic approach on the impact of microplastic discharge from WWTPs to the neighboring environment in Southeast Spain
Researchers conducted a comprehensive study of microplastic release from wastewater treatment plants into surrounding marine sediments, coastal sediments, and fish near Cartagena, Spain. The study found microplastics present in all marine sediment samples and in fish tissue, demonstrating how treatment plants serve as pathways for microplastic contamination of nearby coastal environments.
Are wastewater treatment plants as the source of microplastics in surface water and soil?
Researchers investigated the relationship between microplastic contamination in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and in nearby surface water and soil, finding that while WWTPs effectively remove most microplastics, they still contribute to surrounding environmental contamination.
Particle characteristics of microplastics contaminating the mussel Mytilus edulis and their surrounding environments
Researchers investigated microplastic uptake into mussels (Mytilus edulis) and their surrounding sediment and seawater at nine intertidal sites in southwest England, characterizing particle abundance, size, shape, and polymer composition across environmental compartments and mussel tissue.
Influence of wastewater treatment plant discharges on microplastic concentrations in surface water
This study measured microplastic concentrations upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plant discharges in a freshwater river and found elevated concentrations below discharge points. The findings confirm that wastewater treatment plants, even when functioning properly, act as point sources of microplastic pollution to freshwater systems.
Bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Influence of microplastics
Researchers investigated whether microplastics influence the bioaccumulation of emerging contaminants in Mediterranean mussels. The study found that the presence of microplastics altered how certain chemical pollutants accumulated in mussel tissue, suggesting that microplastics can act as carriers that change the uptake and distribution of other contaminants in marine organisms.
Microplastics in a freshwater mussel (Anodonta anatina) in Northern Europe
Researchers confirmed microplastic occurrence in the freshwater duck mussel Anodonta anatina in a Swedish river, finding microplastics in all mussels examined with higher concentrations downstream of urban wastewater treatment plants compared to a rural upstream location.
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.
Assessing the relationship between the abundance and properties of microplastics in water and in mussels
Researchers investigated the relationship between microplastic levels in coastal waters and in mussels at 25 sites along China's coastline. They found a strong positive correlation, meaning that mussels in more polluted waters contained more microplastics, and that mussels preferentially ingested smaller particles. The study supports the use of mussels as biological indicators for monitoring microplastic contamination in marine environments.
Are mussels accumulating trace metals and microplastics in port facilities?
Mediterranean mussels deployed at port facilities in Spain were analyzed for trace metals and microplastics, finding elevated contamination compared to reference sites, with both contaminant types reflecting local shipping and maintenance activities as pollution sources.
A global review of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: Understanding their occurrence, fate and impact
A global review of 121 wastewater treatment plants found that microplastics are consistently present in both influent and effluent, with WWTPs acting as major conduits delivering plastics into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. While removal efficiencies varied widely, the sludge produced by these plants represents a concentrated secondary pathway for microplastic release to land.
Micro and Nanoplastic Contamination and Its Effects on Freshwater Mussels Caged in an Urban Area
Researchers placed freshwater mussels at various sites around Montreal to measure microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in urban waterways. They found that mussels at rainfall overflow sites and downstream of the city center accumulated the most plastic particles, with nanoplastics correlating strongly with oxidative damage markers in tissue. The study suggests that tire wear and road erosion from stormwater runoff are important sources of plastic contamination for aquatic organisms.
Impact of coastal wastewater treatment plants on microplastic pollution in surface seawater and ecological risk assessment
Microplastics were sampled at nine stations along the southern coast of Istanbul's Bosphorus to assess the influence of nearby wastewater treatment plant discharges on surface seawater contamination. Treatment plant outfalls were confirmed as localized hotspots, with ecological risk highest near discharge points.
Microplastics increase impact of treated wastewater on freshwater microbial community
Microplastic particles added to treated wastewater effluent amplified the impact on freshwater microbial communities compared to effluent alone, disrupting both bacterial community composition and functional processes. The study suggests that microplastics in treated wastewater discharge may compound the ecological harm caused by residual effluent contaminants on receiving water microbiology.
Quantification and characterization of microplastics in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis): protocol setup and preliminary data on the contamination of the French Atlantic coast
Researchers quantified and characterized microplastics in blue mussels from a study site, finding microplastics in a large proportion of sampled individuals and documenting the types and sizes of particles present.
Microplastic pollution is widely detected in US municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent
Researchers conducted a wide survey of US municipal wastewater treatment plants and found microplastics widely present in effluent, confirming that conventional treatment does not fully remove microplastics and that treatment plants are ongoing sources of environmental contamination.
Treated wastewater disturb the distributions of microplastics in their receiving watersheds
Researchers sampled surface water and sediment upstream and downstream of a petrochemical and a municipal wastewater treatment plant, finding that treated effluent consistently elevated microplastic abundances downstream, with petrochemical effluent increasing microplastic diversity and municipal effluent increasing fiber and narrow particle fractions.
Are combined sewer overflows from wastewater treatment plants a critical source of microplastics discharge into water bodies?
Researchers investigated whether combined sewer overflows from wastewater treatment plants represent a critical point source of microplastic discharge into water bodies, examining overflow events and their contribution relative to the overall MP removal efficiencies of WWTPs.
Wastewater treatment plant effluent as a source of microplastics: review of the fate, chemical interactions and potential risks to aquatic organisms
This review examines wastewater treatment plant effluent as a source of microplastics entering aquatic environments. The study found that even though treatment plants remove most microplastics, the small amounts remaining in effluent may still contribute significantly to environmental contamination, and the chemical interactions between microplastics and other pollutants in wastewater raise additional ecological concerns.
Assessment of the impact of aquaculture facilities on transplanted mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Integrating plasticizers and physiological analyses as a biomonitoring strategy
Researchers assessed microplastic impacts on mussels transplanted near aquaculture facilities by integrating plasticizer analysis with physiological biomarkers, finding that proximity to aquaculture infrastructure increased both particle ingestion and chemical plasticizer exposure.
Tracking the microplastic pollution in the freshwater environments of southeastern Türkiye: Usage of Unio delicatus, Unio Terminalis and Dreissena polymorpha as bioindicators of microplastics
This study examined microplastic contamination in three freshwater mussel species collected from rivers and a dam lake in southeastern Turkey, finding relatively low average concentrations (under 1 microplastic per individual) but confirming that these mussels do accumulate plastic particles from their surroundings. Because mussels are filter feeders with a fixed lifestyle, they reflect local pollution levels well, making them useful sentinels for tracking microplastic contamination in freshwater ecosystems. The research adds to growing evidence that microplastics are now present even in inland freshwater species far from the ocean.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF MICROPLASTIC ABUNDANCE IN GREEN MUSSEL Perna viridis AND THE WATERS OF MANGKANG BEACH, SEMARANG
A study of green mussels (Perna viridis) farmed in a coastal area of Semarang, Indonesia found microplastics in both the surrounding water and mussel tissue, with statistical analysis confirming a significant relationship between water contamination levels and mussel body burden. Because green mussels are widely consumed locally, this finding highlights a direct pathway for microplastic exposure through seafood in the region.
Microplastics in intertidal water of South Australia and the mussel Mytilus spp.; the contrasting effect of population on concentration
Researchers confirmed for the first time the presence of microplastics in South Australian intertidal waters and blue mussels, finding a contrasting relationship between human population density and microplastic concentration in this coastal ecosystem.