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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics in the Florence wastewater treatment plant studied by a continuous sampling method and Raman spectroscopy: A preliminary investigation
ClearDetermination of microplastics in municipal wastewater treatment plant effluents and sludge using micro-Raman spectroscopy
Researchers analyzed microplastics in wastewater and sewage sludge from a treatment plant in Ioannina, Greece, using micro-Raman spectroscopy. They found microplastics of various shapes, sizes, and polymer types throughout the plant, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms. The study highlights that wastewater treatment plants remain a significant pathway for microplastic release into aquatic and terrestrial environments.
Determination of the microplastics emission in the effluent of a municipal waste water treatment plant using Raman microspectroscopy
Raman microspectroscopy was used to measure microplastic concentrations in the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant in Germany, finding that even after secondary treatment, thousands of microplastic particles per day were discharged into the receiving water body. The study underscores that conventional wastewater treatment is insufficient to prevent microplastics from entering aquatic environments.
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.
Do drinking water plants retain microplastics? An exploratory study using Raman micro-spectroscopy
Researchers quantified microplastic retention at a Danish groundwater-fed drinking water treatment plant using Raman spectroscopy, finding that the plant reduced but did not eliminate microplastic particles down to 1 micron in size, with some microplastics present in the treated drinking water output.
Underestimating microplastics? Quantification of the recovery rate of microplastic particles including sampling, sample preparation, subsampling, and detection using µ-Ramanspectroscopy
Researchers developed a continuous-dosing method to measure the recovery rate of microplastic particles from wastewater treatment plant effluents, finding that standard sampling approaches may significantly underestimate true microplastic concentrations — particularly for high-density particles like PVC that settle rapidly.
Wastewater treatment plants as a pathway for microplastics: Development of a new approach to sample wastewater-based microplastics
Researchers developed a new sampling and monitoring protocol for microplastics at wastewater treatment plants, enabling more consistent tracking of microplastic loads through treatment stages and discharged effluent.
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.
Microplastic contamination in a conventional wastewater treatment plant in Thailand
Microplastic contamination was investigated throughout a conventional urban wastewater treatment plant in Thailand, tracking particles through influent, treatment stages, and effluent. The study quantified how treatment processes reduced but did not eliminate microplastic discharge into receiving water bodies.
Occurrence and fate of microplastics from wastewater treatment plants assessed by a fluorescence-based protocol
A fluorescence-based protocol was developed to identify and quantify microplastics smaller than 500 micrometers in wastewater treatment plant effluent, improving on traditional methods that miss these smaller particles.
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.
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.
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.
Analysis of microplastic particles in the Pilica River catchment (Poland) using FTIR imaging microscopy
Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution across the Pilica River catchment in Poland, assessing contributions from wastewater treatment plants as a key point source. Wastewater treatment plant effluents were identified as a major pathway for microplastic entry into the river system.
Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Characteristics, Occurrence and Removal Technologies
This review summarizes how wastewater treatment plants are a major pathway for microplastics entering the environment, covering the types, sizes, and sources of microplastics found in wastewater. While treatment plants can remove many microplastics, significant amounts still escape into rivers and oceans through treated water and sludge. The authors evaluate various removal technologies and recommend advanced treatment methods to better prevent microplastics from reaching water supplies.
Microplastics in wastewater treatment systems and receiving waters
This review covers how microplastics move through wastewater treatment plants and end up in receiving water bodies, noting that conventional treatment removes most but not all microplastics. The residual microplastics discharged into rivers and oceans represent a major ongoing input into aquatic ecosystems.
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.
Wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics in river catchments
Microplastic concentrations were measured upstream and downstream of six wastewater treatment plants in different catchments, finding that all plants discharged microplastics but that concentrations in river water were influenced by factors beyond just WWTP effluent. The results suggest wastewater treatment plants are significant but not the only source of microplastics in river catchments.
Waste water treatment as a source of microplastic pollution
This conference abstract examines how wastewater treatment plants are a key pathway for microplastics from urban sources into rivers and ultimately the ocean. It frames improving wastewater treatment as a critical step for reducing the flow of microplastics into aquatic ecosystems.
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 wastewater plants: A review of sources, characteristics, distribution and removal technologies
This review provides a comprehensive look at how microplastics enter, move through, and are removed from wastewater treatment plants. Researchers found that while treatment processes can remove a significant portion of microplastics from water, large quantities still escape into rivers and oceans. The study highlights the need for improved treatment technologies and better monitoring to reduce microplastic discharge from these facilities.