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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics and microfibers in the sludge of a municipal wastewater treatment plant
ClearMicroplastic Pollution in Sewage Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Plants and Estimation of Microplastic Release
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants using infrared spectroscopy and estimated the quantities released into the environment when sludge is used for soil improvement. They found significant microplastic concentrations in the sludge samples, with the majority being fiber-shaped particles. The study highlights that the growing practice of applying sewage sludge to agricultural land is a meaningful pathway for microplastic transfer to soil environments.
Nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 micro- and nanoplastics: A first example of their accurate quantification, along with polyester (PET), in wastewater treatment plant sludges
Researchers developed a novel quantification procedure for nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 polyamide microplastics along with PET in wastewater treatment plant sludges, representing the first accurate measurement of these dominant synthetic textile microfibre polymers in sludge matrices. The procedure uses acid hydrolysis depolymerisation followed by monomer derivatisation, providing a tool to assess risks from sludge applied as agricultural soil amendment.
Sewage Sludge in Farmlands: A Gateway to Soil Microplastic Pollution?
Researchers analysed microplastic contamination in dewatered anaerobically digested sewage sludge and adjacent agricultural fields in the UK with varied sludge application histories, using fluorescence microscopy and FTIR/Raman spectroscopy to detect predominantly polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC, and polyamide particles.
Assessment and accumulation of microplastics in sewage sludge at wastewater treatment plants located in Cádiz, Spain
Researchers sampled microplastics from primary, secondary, and digested sludge at seven wastewater treatment plants in southern Spain, finding sludge acts as a significant sink for microplastics. Fragments and fibers under 2 mm were dominant, and concentrations varied significantly between urban and industrial plant types.
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.
Assessment of Microplastics Distribution in a Biological Wastewater Treatment
Researchers evaluated microfiber distribution in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor fed synthetic wastewater over 93 days, using optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy to distinguish natural from synthetic fibers. They found that microfibers predominantly settled with the sludge at a concentration ratio of 1409:1 compared to effluent, and that larger surface area within the reactor was associated with higher microfiber retention.
Tracing the fate of microplastic in wastewater treatment plant: A multi-stage analysis of treatment units and sludge
Researchers tracked microplastics through every stage of a wastewater treatment plant and found that while treatment removes many particles from the water, most end up concentrated in the leftover sludge. Fibers and fragments were the most common shapes, made primarily of polyester and polyethylene. Since treated sludge is often spread on farmland, this creates a pathway for microplastics to enter soil and potentially the food chain.
Identification and quantification of microplastics in wastewater treatment plant effluent: Investigation of the fate and biological effects
This study identified and quantified microplastics in wastewater treatment plant effluents and sludge, finding particles in all samples with fibers being the dominant type. The research contributes to understanding how much microplastic reaches surface waters via wastewater discharge and how much is captured in sludge that is subsequently applied to agricultural land.
Sewage sludge application as a vehicle for microplastics in eastern Spanish agricultural soils
Scientists measured microplastics in sewage sludge from Spanish wastewater treatment plants and in agricultural soils receiving sludge applications, finding that sludge application transferred hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram into agricultural soil.
Microplastics in sewage sludge from the wastewater treatment plants in China
Researchers analyzed microplastics in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants across China, finding high concentrations of microplastics — predominantly fibers and fragments — raising concerns about their spread when sludge is applied to agricultural land.
Hidden contaminants: Unveiling the content of microplastics in municipal sewage sludge that may affect soil ecosystems
Researchers analyzed sewage sludge from two municipal treatment plants and found up to 116,000 microplastic particles per kilogram of dry sludge, with fiber-shaped and film-shaped particles dominating each plant respectively — highlighting the risk of spreading microplastic contamination to farmland when sludge is used as fertilizer.
[Microplastics in wastewater treatment: current status and future trends].
This review summarizes current research on microplastic occurrence, removal, and fate in wastewater treatment plants, noting that while plants capture most microplastics in activated sludge, significant numbers still escape into effluent. The sludge itself then becomes a major pathway for microplastics to enter agricultural soils when applied as fertilizer. Future treatment improvements and sludge management policies are needed to reduce these release pathways.
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.
Fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants and their environmental dispersion with effluent and sludge
Researchers tracked microplastics through a wastewater treatment plant and found 12 different polymer types in effluents and sludge, with smaller particles (25–104 μm) most abundant and fibres displaying lower sizes than fragments. The study demonstrates that WWTPs do not fully remove microplastics and that processed sludge marketed as soil amendment carries plastic contamination.
A comparative study on the distribution behavior of microplastics through FT-IR analysis on different land uses in agricultural soils
Researchers compared microplastic distribution in agricultural soils under different land uses, including soil mulching, plastic housing, and sewage sludge composting. Using FT-IR analysis, the study found that plastic particles smaller than 100 micrometers were present across all conditions, highlighting the widespread and persistent nature of microplastic contamination in agricultural environments.
Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A review
This review examines the presence and fate of microplastics in sewage sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants, a topic that has received less attention than microplastics in the water treatment line. The study highlights that agricultural application of sewage sludge is a primary source of microplastic contamination in soils, and provides a comprehensive overview of detection methods, concentrations, and the environmental implications of sludge-borne microplastics.
Investigation and fate of microplastics in wastewater and sludge filter cake from a wastewater treatment plant in China
A wastewater treatment plant in Harbin, China, removed about 76% of incoming microplastics, but the remainder accumulated in dewatered sludge used as agricultural fertilizer, representing billions of plastic particles returned to soils annually. Polyester and polyamide from laundry and personal care products were identified as the dominant polymer types.
Stabilized Sewage Sludge as Fertilizer: Risks Related to the Presence of Microplastics
Researchers analyzed microplastic content in sewage sludge-derived fertilizer collected in June and July, finding an average of ~460 mg of microplastics per 100 g of fertilizer with fragments and fibers predominating — raising concerns about agricultural land contamination from sewage sludge application.
Fate of microplastics in sewage sludge and in agricultural soils
Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in sewage sludge at wastewater treatment plants and then spread into agricultural soils when that sludge is applied as fertilizer, finding that sludge treatment processes can alter microplastic size and shape but do not eliminate them. The review calls for standardized methods to study how different sludge treatments affect microplastic properties and their downstream risks to soil health.
Effect of Thermal Drying and Chemical Treatments with Wastes on Microbiological Contamination Indicators in Sewage Sludge
This study evaluated thermal drying and chemical treatments for reducing bacterial contamination in sewage sludge from Portuguese wastewater treatment plants. Sewage sludge is a major pathway by which microplastics from wastewater reach agricultural soils when used as fertilizer.
Risk of re-release of microplastics from sewage fertilisers into the environment
This paper reviews the risk that microplastics in sewage sludge (biosolids used as agricultural fertilizer) will be re-released into soils and water when the sludge is land-applied. Microplastics from cosmetics and clothing fibers concentrate in sludge during wastewater treatment and persist because they resist biodegradation. Applying microplastic-contaminated biosolids to farmland is one of the major pathways through which microplastics enter agricultural soils.
A method for the characterisation of microplastics in sludge
Researchers developed a method for detecting and characterizing microplastics in sewage sludge, which concentrates the majority of microplastics removed during wastewater treatment. This method is important because sludge is widely spread on agricultural land, making it a key pathway for microplastics entering soils.
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.
Optimising sample preparation for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge samples: multiple digestions
Researchers optimized sample digestion protocols for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge, finding that multiple sequential digestion steps improve removal of organic matter while minimizing polymer degradation.