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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics in Influents and Effluents of Estonian Wastewater Treatment Plants
ClearMicroplastics in Estonian wastewater treatment plants: First evaluation of baseline concentrations and stage-wise removal efficiency
Researchers sampled six Estonian wastewater treatment plants to establish baseline microplastic concentrations in influents and effluents and assess stage-wise removal efficiency. At least 78% of microscopically identified MPs were confirmed by µFTIR spectroscopy, with at least 50% removed during secondary treatment, providing the first baseline data for Estonian WWTP microplastic discharge into the Baltic Sea.
Quantification of microplastic mass and removal rates at wastewater treatment plants applying Focal Plane Array (FPA)-based Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) imaging
This study quantified microplastic mass and calculated removal rates at wastewater treatment plants, finding that while plants remove a large proportion of incoming microplastics, the residual discharge still represents a substantial ongoing input to receiving water bodies.
Microplastics in the effluent of a German wastewater treatment plant ‒ analysis with μ-FTIR spectroscopy
A German wastewater treatment plant was found to release microplastics in its treated effluent, with fibers as the dominant type. The study used detailed chemical characterization and identified wastewater plants as ongoing point sources of microplastic pollution entering aquatic environments.
Characteristics and removal efficiency of microplastics at secondary wastewater treatment plant in Lithuania
A three-month study at a Lithuanian secondary wastewater treatment plant found microplastics at every stage of treatment, with the plant removing a substantial portion but still releasing significant quantities to the environment. Fiber was the most common shape, and the data help fill a geographic gap for northeastern Europe, where microplastic monitoring in wastewater systems has been limited.
Microplastic removal efficiency and polymer characterization in coastal wastewater treatment plants using FTIR spectroscopy
Researchers assessed microplastic concentrations and removal efficiencies at four wastewater treatment plants along the U.S. Gulf Coast, finding that influent contained an average of 3,472 particles per cubic meter while effluent contained 1,372. PET and polystyrene were the most abundant polymers, and plants with advanced filtration or lagoon-wetland systems achieved over 80% removal of these denser plastics, while lighter polymers like polyethylene were harder to capture. Seasonal patterns showed weaker removal during winter months.
Microplastiche: classificazione, identificazione e rimozione all'interno degli impianti di trattamento delle acque reflue
This Italian-language paper reviews how microplastics are classified, identified using techniques like FTIR spectroscopy, and removed in wastewater treatment plants. Conventional treatment plants remove a substantial portion of microplastics but still allow many particles to pass through into the environment. The review calls for better treatment technologies and standardized methods to assess microplastic removal efficiency.
Microplastics in two German wastewater treatment plants: Year-long effluent analysis with FTIR and Py-GC/MS
Researchers analyzed microplastics in the effluents of two German wastewater treatment plants monthly over one year, revealing temporal variations in microplastic concentrations and polymer compositions entering receiving river systems.
Identification of microplastic in effluents of waste water treatment plants using focal plane array-based micro-Fourier-transform infrared imaging
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.
Do wastewater treatment plants act as a potential point source of microplastics? Preliminary study in the coastal Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea
A study at a Finnish wastewater treatment plant found that although influent microplastic concentrations were high, treatment processes removed the vast majority — but a meaningful fraction still passed through in the effluent. The results confirm that even well-run treatment plants cannot fully prevent microplastic discharge to receiving water bodies.
Spectroscopic analysis of microplastic contaminants in an urban wastewater treatment plant from Seoul, South Korea
Researchers performed systematic multi-spectroscopic analysis of microplastics at influent and effluent stages of a metropolitan wastewater treatment plant in Seoul, South Korea, using FTIR and microscopic methods to characterize MP type, size, and polymer composition. The study quantified treatment efficiency for MP removal and identified the dominant polymer types entering and leaving the WWTP, informing efforts to reduce microplastic discharge to urban waterways.
Detection of microplastic traces in four different types of municipal wastewater treatment plants through FT-IR and TED-GC-MS
Researchers detected microplastic traces in four different types of municipal wastewater treatment plants using FT-IR and TED-GC-MS, finding that while treatment processes removed most microplastics, some were still released into receiving water bodies.
Microplastic in Danish wastewater: Sources, occurrences and fate
Researchers evaluated the role of Danish wastewater treatment plants in microplastic emissions by analyzing samples from 10 WWTPs, associated sludge, and farmland soils using FTIR imaging, identifying the amounts, polymer types, and potential sources of microplastics entering the environment.
Microplastic Monitoring at Different Stages in a Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Reflectance Micro-FTIR Imaging
Researchers used reflectance micro-FTIR imaging to monitor microplastic presence at multiple treatment stages within a wastewater treatment plant, addressing the challenge of analyzing MPs in biogenic organic matter-rich matrices. The study mapped how microplastic identity, abundance, and size distribution changed through primary and secondary treatment, providing insight into WWTP contributions to aquatic microplastic pollution.
Microplastics in different water samples (seawater, freshwater, and wastewater): Methodology approach for characterization using micro-FTIR spectroscopy
Researchers developed a standardized methodology for detecting and characterizing small microplastics (10-500 micrometers) in different water types using micro-FTIR spectroscopy. The study tested various sample preparation approaches for seawater, freshwater, and wastewater, establishing reliable protocols for rinsing, digestion, and microplastic collection that can be used to assess treatment plant removal efficiency.
IR microspectroscopic identification of microplastics in municipal wastewater treatment plants
Researchers used infrared microspectroscopy to identify microplastics at three municipal wastewater treatment plants in Thailand employing different treatment processes, finding varied levels of microplastic contamination tied to urbanization level and treatment technology.
Research progress on microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: A holistic review
This review provides a holistic assessment of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, covering sampling methods, occurrence patterns across treatment stages, removal efficiencies, and the environmental risks posed by microplastic discharge through effluent and sludge.
Microplastics monitoring in different environments: separation, physicochemical characterization, and quantification
Researchers systematically monitored microplastic contamination across multiple environments including a wastewater treatment plant, surrounding water bodies, and soils near plastic factories, characterizing shape, size, color, and polymer composition via microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. They found fragments and fibers to be the most common microplastic shapes in water environments and documented simultaneous contamination across all sampled matrices.
Distribution of Microplastics in Domestic Wastewater and Microplastics Removal Potential in Wastewater Treatment Plants
Researchers examined the distribution of microplastics in domestic wastewater in Indonesia and assessed the microplastic removal potential of wastewater treatment plants, using digestion, vacuum filtration, and microscopy to identify microplastics by concentration, shape, size, and color across treatment stages.
Release of Microplastics from Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants to Aquatic Ecosystems in Acapulco, Mexico
Researchers evaluated microplastic presence and removal at three wastewater treatment plants in Acapulco, Mexico, using optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy to characterize particles retained on 38-micron and 150-micron filters. The plants removed 82.5-98.7% of microplastics from influent streams, yet still released millions of microplastic particles daily into aquatic ecosystems, with polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, and PVC as the dominant polymer types detected.
Influence of wastewater treatment process on pollution characteristics and fate of microplastics
Researchers investigated microplastic abundance and removal efficiency across four wastewater treatment plants using different treatment technologies, finding influent concentrations between 539 and 1,290 particles per liter that were reduced substantially by primary and secondary treatment. Smaller microplastic particles proved hardest to remove and most likely to persist in final effluent.
Quantification and Characterization of Microplastics in Seven Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants
Wastewater treatment plants are a key pathway through which microplastics enter rivers and coastal waters, and this six-month study across seven Spanish treatment plants found that conventional processes offer inconsistent and often inadequate protection. Microplastics were present in all samples, and in some cases effluent concentrations were nearly as high as influent concentrations — meaning the plants were adding little removal value for plastic particles. The dominance of synthetic fibers and the seasonal variation observed point to the need for better tertiary treatment steps to capture microplastics before discharge.
A review of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants in Türkiye: Characteristics, removal efficiency, mitigation strategies for microplastic pollution and future perspective
This review comprehensively examines microplastic pollution in wastewater treatment plants across Turkiye, analyzing their characteristics, abundance, and removal efficiency. Researchers found that while treatment plants remove a significant portion of microplastics, effluent discharge still represents an important source of microplastic contamination to aquatic environments.
Fate and occurrence of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants
This review summarizes recent research on the abundance and removal of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, examining how different treatment stages capture or release microplastic particles and assessing the overall efficiency of current infrastructure.
Occurrence, Characteristics, and Removal of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants
This review summarizes the occurrence, characteristics, and removal efficiency of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, highlighting how these facilities simultaneously act as sinks trapping microplastics and as sources releasing them into surrounding aquatic and terrestrial environments.