We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Seasonal variation and complex analysis of microplastic distribution in different WWTP treatment stages in Lithuania
ClearLong-Term Occurrence and Fate of Microplastics in WWTPs: A Case Study in Southwest Europe
A long-term monitoring study of a wastewater treatment plant in southwest Europe tracked microplastic concentrations across all treatment stages over multiple sampling campaigns, finding consistent plastic removal in the range of 90% but with treated effluent and sludge still containing substantial amounts. The study demonstrates the value of repeated sampling for understanding seasonal and operational variability in microplastic fate at WWTPs.
Microplastics in an urban wastewater treatment plant: The influence of physicochemical parameters and environmental factors
Microplastics were quantified across four treatment stages of an urban wastewater treatment plant, finding an overall 90.3% removal efficiency with fragments and fibers dominating the final effluent, and identifying rainfall events and seasonal variation as significant factors affecting MP concentrations. The study highlights the importance of environmental variables when monitoring MP removal at WWTPs.
Seasonal variation and removal efficiency of microplastics in wastewater treatment: a year-long study across three municipal water reclamation plants
A year-long study across three municipal water reclamation plants found significant seasonal variation in microplastic concentrations and removal efficiencies, with effective but incomplete removal leaving residual microplastics in effluent that posed low to medium ecological risks to receiving water bodies.
Microplastic distributions in a domestic wastewater treatment plant: Removal efficiency, seasonal variation and influence of sampling technique
A year-long study of a municipal wastewater treatment plant found 97% removal efficiency for microplastics overall, but fibers made up a larger proportion of remaining particles in treated water than in raw sewage, and winter samples had notably higher microplastic concentrations. The study highlights seasonal variation as an important factor in assessing wastewater microplastic loads.
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.
Identification and Analysis of Plastic Microparticles in the Inlet and Outlet of the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Investigation of the Relationship between Different Seasons of the Year with the Amount of Production and Emission of Particles
Researchers identified and characterized microplastics at the inlet and outlet of a wastewater treatment plant across different seasons, finding that conventional treatment fails to fully remove microplastics and that particle concentrations and types varied with seasonal changes.
Unravelling capability of municipal wastewater treatment plant in Thailand for microplastics: Effects of seasonality on detection, fate and transport
Microplastic fate and transport in a wastewater treatment plant in Nonthaburi, Thailand were tracked during both dry and wet seasons, finding that seasonal variation in flow rates and influent composition affected microplastic removal efficiency and the polymer types discharged to the receiving environment.
Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics and Removal Efficiency of Microplastics in a Wastewater Treatment Plant
Researchers examined microplastic removal efficiency across three seasons at a wastewater treatment plant in Zhengzhou, China, sampling influent, process effluent, and final effluent. They found an overall removal efficiency of 86%, with polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate as the dominant polymer types and fragment- and granule-shaped particles comprising over 80% of microplastics detected.
Microplastics in an advanced wastewater treatment plant: sustained and robust removal rates unfazed by seasonal variations
Researchers evaluated microplastic removal at an advanced wastewater treatment plant discharging into the Mediterranean Sea across three seasonal campaigns. The plant achieved removal rates above 99% consistently, with efficiency remaining robust even during rainy and high-tourism periods. The study found that primary treatment stages, particularly coagulation and settling, were most effective at capturing microplastics, with polyester being the predominant polymer type detected.
Seasonal Variations in Microplastic Abundance and Removal Efficiency in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Bangkok, Thailand
A study of Bangkok wastewater treatment plants found microplastic removal efficiency ranged from 16–85% depending on season, with higher microplastic abundance during the wet season and PET, PE, and PP fibers as the dominant polymer types in both influent and effluent.
Occurrence of Microplastics across Seasonal Variations in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Thailand
Researchers monitored microplastic concentrations at a Thai municipal wastewater treatment plant across rainy, winter, and summer seasons of 2023–2024. Microplastic levels were highest during the rainy season, demonstrating that seasonal variation and rainfall significantly influence microplastic abundance and treatment efficiency.
Long-Term Monitoring of Microplastics in a German Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Researchers conducted long-term monitoring of microplastics in a German municipal wastewater treatment plant, tracking seasonal and annual changes in influent and effluent concentrations and assessing the plant's overall plastic retention efficiency.
Microplastics in Mediterranean coastal wastewater treatment plants: Seasonal trends driven by tourism and weather conditions
Researchers monitored microplastics at two Mediterranean coastal wastewater treatment plants in Spain, finding influent concentrations of 30-75 particles/L with seasonal peaks in warmer months, removal efficiencies of 73-86%, and significant correlations between microplastic concentrations and both temperature and precipitation, with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating polymer profiles.
Effectiveness of conventional municipal wastewater treatment plants in microplastics removal: Insights from multiple analytical techniques
Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of conventional municipal wastewater treatment plants in removing microplastics across multiple treatment stages, finding removal efficiencies of 70–90% but documenting that billions of particles still pass through in final effluent daily.
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.
Wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics to an urban estuary: Removal efficiencies and loading per capita over one year
Three South Carolina wastewater treatment plants were monitored for microplastic loads and removal efficiencies monthly over a year, finding removal of 59–98% with concentrations in effluent varying 4.8-fold between samples and no seasonal trend. The study demonstrates that even large, well-operated WWTPs release substantial quantities of microplastics year-round to receiving estuaries.
Microplastics 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.
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.
Long-term improvement of urban wastewater treatment efficiency following biological modernization in a Baltic Sea region
Despite its title touching on wastewater treatment — a major pathway for microplastics to enter waterways — this paper primarily studies long-term improvements in nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal at a Lithuanian treatment plant over 25 years. It does not examine microplastics directly; microplastics are mentioned only briefly as a future challenge. The paper is most relevant to nutrient pollution management rather than microplastic research.
Understanding microplastic presence in different wastewater treatment processes: Removal efficiency and source identification
Researchers tracked microplastic removal across different treatment stages at two wastewater treatment plants and found overall removal rates of 90% and 97%. They discovered that population density in the served area was a bigger driver of influent microplastic levels than sewage volume, and that activated sludge served as the primary trap for captured particles. The study identified laundry washing and daily consumer products as the main sources of microplastics entering the treatment plants.
Fate of Microplastic Pollution Along the Water and Sludge Lines in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants
Researchers evaluated microplastic abundance and distribution across three municipal wastewater treatment plants using different treatment technologies. The study found that all three plants achieved greater than 97% microplastic removal along the water treatment line, with microplastics concentrating in the sludge fraction, underscoring the important role of sludge treatment in sequestering microplastics from wastewater.
Transport and fate of microplastic particles in wastewater treatment plants
Researchers tracked microplastic particles through multiple stages of a wastewater treatment plant, finding that particles were concentrated in sludge but that a fraction passed through each treatment stage and remained in the final effluent.
Occurrence and Removal of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Perspectives on Shape, Type, and Density
Researchers compiled data from multiple countries on microplastic removal efficiency across different stages of wastewater treatment plants. They found that removal rates varied widely, from 48% in some facilities to over 90% in others, depending on the treatment technologies employed. The study suggests that while conventional wastewater treatment can capture a significant portion of microplastics, advanced tertiary treatment methods are needed to further reduce discharge into the environment.
The fate of microplastics in an Italian Wastewater Treatment Plant
Microplastics were tracked through influent, settler, and effluent stages of a major northern Italian WWTP (serving 1.2 million population equivalents), finding high removal efficiency but continued discharge of fibers and fragments to receiving water and concentration of retained plastics in sludge. The study provides detailed mass flow data for an Italian WWTP and highlights sludge as the dominant plastic-retention compartment.