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Noornama, Abidin MNZ, Abu Bakar NK, Hashim NA. Innovative solutions for the removal of emerging microplastics from water by utilizing advanced techniques. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 206:116752. [PMID: 39053257 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is one of the most pressing global environmental problems due to its harmful effects on living organisms and ecosystems. To address this issue, researchers have explored several techniques to successfully eliminate microplastics from water sources. Chemical coagulation, electrocoagulation, magnetic extraction, adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, and biodegradation are some of the recognized techniques used for the removal of microplastics from water. In addition, membrane-based techniques encompass processes propelled by pressure or potential, along with sophisticated membrane technologies like the dynamic membrane and the membrane bioreactor. Recently, researchers have been developing advanced membranes composed of metal-organic frameworks, MXene, zeolites, carbon nanomaterials, metals, and metal oxides to remove microplastics. This paper aims to analyze the effectiveness, advantages, and drawbacks of each method to provide insights into their application for reducing microplastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noornama
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta, Pakistan
| | | | - Nor Kartini Abu Bakar
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Awanis Hashim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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2
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Huang Y, Hu T, Lin B, Ke Y, Li J, Ma J. Microplastics-biofilm interactions in biofilm-based wastewater treatment processes: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 361:124836. [PMID: 39216664 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics, pervasive contaminants from plastic, present significant challenges to wastewater treatment processes. This review critically examines the interactions between microplastics and biofilm-based treatment technologies, specifically focusing on the concepts of "biofilm on microplastics" and "microplastics in biofilm". It discusses the implications of these interactions in contaminant removal and process performance. Advanced characterization techniques, including morphological characterization, chemical composition analysis, and bio-information analysis, are assessed to elucidate the complex interplay between microplastics and biofilms within biofilters, biological aerated filters (BAFs), rotating biological contactors (RBCs), and moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs). This review synthesizes current research findings, highlighting that microplastics can either hinder or enhance the treatment processes, contingent on their concentration, physicochemical properties, and the specific biofilm technology employed. The insights gained from this review are essential for developing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of microplastics and for optimizing the design and operation of wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaning Huang
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tanqiu Hu
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bincheng Lin
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Youqing Ke
- China Construction Eighth Engineering Division. Corp. Ltd., Guangzhou 510663, China
| | - Jibin Li
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jinxing Ma
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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3
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Kwiatkowska K, Ormaniec P. Microbial Succession on Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Exploring the Complexities of Microplastic-Microbiome Interactions. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:105. [PMID: 39133233 PMCID: PMC11319512 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02422-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Despite some effectiveness of wastewater treatment processes, microplastics accumulate in sewage sludge and their further use may contribute to the release of plastic microplastics into the environment. There is an urgent need to reduce the amount of microplastics in sewage sludge. Plastic particles serve as solid substrates for various microorganisms, promoting the formation of microbial biofilms with different metabolic activities. The biofilm environment associated with microplastics will determine the efficiency of treatment processes, especially biological methods, and the mechanisms of organic compound conversion. A significant source of microplastics is the land application of sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants. The detrimental impact of microplastics affects soil enzymatic activity, soil microorganisms, flora, fauna, and plant production. This review article summarizes the development of research related to microplastics and discusses the issue of microplastic introduction from sewage sludge. Given that microplastics can contain complex composite polymers and form a plastisphere, further research is needed to understand their potential environmental impact, pathogenicity, and the characteristics of biofilms in wastewater treatment systems. The article also discusses the physicochemical properties of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants and their role in biofilm formation. Then, the article explained the impact of these properties on the possibility of the formation of biofilms on their surface due to the peculiar structure of microorganisms and also characterized what factors enable the formation of specific plastisphere in wastewater treatment plants. It highlights the urgent need to understand the basic information about microplastics to assess environmental toxicity more rationally, enabling better pollution control and the development of regulatory standards to manage microplastics entering the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Kwiatkowska
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Paulina Ormaniec
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155, Kraków, Poland
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Zhang D, Li J, Ju P, Cao W, Jiang F, Sun C. Occurrence of microplastics in the Haima cold seep area of the South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173072. [PMID: 38734093 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The pollution of deep-sea microplastics has received increasing attention. As a special ecosystem in the deep sea, the cold seep area is of great significance for studying the distribution of microplastics in the deep sea. In this work, the distribution and characteristics of microplastics in seawater, sediments, and shellfish in the Haima cold seep area and the correlation between the characteristics of microplastics in different media and the type of media were studied. Microplastics were found in all three media. The abundance of microplastics in different samples from the Haima cold seep area ranged 1.8-3.8 items/L for the seawater, 11.47-96.8 items/kg (d.w.) for the surface sediments, and 0-5 items/individual (0-0.714 items/g) for the shellfish. The amount of microplastics ingested by shellfish varied among different species. The microplastics in these three media were mainly fibrous, dark-colored, small-sized rayon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyethylene (PE). In the correlation analysis of microplastic characteristics among the three media, it was found that the characteristics of microplastics in different media in the same area were closely related, and each pair of variables showed a significant positive correlation (P ≤ 0.05). The distinctive geographical conditions would accelerate the interchange of microplastics among various media. Principal component analysis showed that habitat contribute to microplastic feature differences in shellfish. Differences in correlation were observed between the characteristics of shellfish microplastics in different regions and the characteristics of microplastics in surrounding seawater and sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology Development and Offshore Eco-Environment Conservation, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Jingxi Li
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology Development and Offshore Eco-Environment Conservation, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China.
| | - Peng Ju
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology Development and Offshore Eco-Environment Conservation, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology Development and Offshore Eco-Environment Conservation, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Fenghua Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology Development and Offshore Eco-Environment Conservation, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Chengjun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology Development and Offshore Eco-Environment Conservation, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China; College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China; Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Laboratory of Marine Drugs and Biological Products, Qingdao 266071, China.
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5
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Singh P, Varshney G, Kaur R. Primary Microplastics in the Ecosystem: Ecological Effects, Risks, and Comprehensive Perspectives on Toxicology and Detection Methods. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS 2024:1-52. [PMID: 38967482 DOI: 10.1080/26896583.2024.2370715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Recent discoveries of microplastics in cities, suburbs, and even remote locations, far from microplastic source regions, have raised the possibility of long-distance transmission of microplastics in many ecosystems. A little is known scientifically about the threat that it posed to the environment by microplastics. The problem's apparent size necessitates the rapid development of reliable scientific advice regarding the ecological risks of microplastics. These concerns are brought on by the lack of consistent sample and identification techniques, as well as the limited physical analysis and understanding of microplastic pollution. This review provides insight regarding some unaddressed issues about the occurrence, fate, movement, and impact of microplastics, in general, with special emphasis on primary microplastics. The approaches taken in the earlier investigations have been analyzed and different recommendations for future research have been suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Singh
- Discipline of Polymer Science and Chemical Technology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, India
| | - Gunjan Varshney
- Discipline of Polymer Science and Chemical Technology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, India
| | - Raminder Kaur
- Discipline of Polymer Science and Chemical Technology, Department of Applied Chemistry, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Delhi, India
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Kida M, Musiał M, Pochwat K, Ziembowicz S, Koszelnik P, Strojny W, Pizzo H, Bodog M. Modeling of microplastics degradation in aquatic environments using an experimental plan. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134396. [PMID: 38669920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this article is to apply advanced predictive modeling techniques to understand the degradation process of microplastics in aquatic environments. Utilizing a Fractional Factorial Central Composite Experimental Plan, this study seeks to develop precise predictive statistical models that enable forecasting the quantity of pollutants generated during the degradation of microplastics under various environmental conditions. This tool was applied to model changes in DOC (dissolved organic carbon) and DEHP (bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) values during the degradation of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. The methods were developed using data derived from laboratory tests conducted using the GC-MS technique. The obtained approximating functions, considering factors such as degradation time, water temperature, and particle size, significantly reduced the analysis time. A two-stage verification of the approximating functions was conducted, considering the accuracy of the function form, its adequacy, the statistical significance of input variables, and their correlation with DOC and DEHP. The employed a Fractional Factorial Central Composite Experimental Plan allowed for the simultaneous reduction in the number of experiments and prediction of the influence of variables on the output values. Precise predictive models support understanding of the microplastic degradation process, facilitating the development of effective strategies for managing this pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Kida
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Rzeszow University of Technology, Ave Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland.
| | - Michał Musiał
- Department of Building Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Rzeszow University of Technology, Ave Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Kamil Pochwat
- Department of Infrastructure and Water Management, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Rzeszow University of Technology, Ave Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Sabina Ziembowicz
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Rzeszow University of Technology, Ave Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Piotr Koszelnik
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Rzeszow University of Technology, Ave Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Wojciech Strojny
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, Rzeszow University of Technology, Ave Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Henrique Pizzo
- Municipal Water and Sewage Company, Monsenhor Gustavo Freire St., 75, Juiz de Fora 36016-470, Brazil
| | - Marinela Bodog
- Departament of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 26 Magheru Boulevard, 410183 Oradea, Bihor, Romania
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Avazpour S, Noshadi M. Enhancing the coagulation process for the removal of microplastics from water by anionic polyacrylamide and natural-based Moringaoleifera. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142215. [PMID: 38701865 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The existence of microplastics (MPs) in water is a significant global concern since they have the potential to pose a threat to human health. Therefore, there is a need to develop a sustainable treatment technology for MPs removal, as the conventional methods are inadequate to address this problem. Coagulation is a typical process in treatment plants that can capture MPs before releasing them into the environment. In this work, the removal behaviors of polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE) MPs were systematically investigated through coagulation processes using aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) and Moringa oleifera (MO) seeds extract. Subsequently, the coagulation performance of Al2(SO4)3 was improved by the separate addition of anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) and naturally derived MO. Results showed that Al2(SO4)3 in combination with APAM had better performance than Al2(SO4)3 or MO alone. In the Al2(SO4)3+APAM system, the removal efficiencies were 93.47%, 81.25%, and 29.48% for PA, PS, and PE MPs, respectively. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Al2(SO4)3 and MO blended system was approximately similar to the Al2(SO4)3+APAM system. However, the required amount of Al2(SO4)3 was decreased to 50% in the Al2(SO4)3+MO system compared to the optimal dosage in the Al2(SO4)3 system alone. The combination of 40 mg/L of Al2(SO4)3 and 60 mg/L of MO resulted in removal efficiencies of 92.99%, 80.48%, and 28.94% for PA, PS, and PE MPs, respectively. The high efficacy of these enhanced methods was due to the synergic effects of charge neutralization and agglomeration adsorption, which were validated through zeta potential assessments and visual analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. In the case of experimental conditions, initial pH had little impact on removal efficiency, while NaCl salinity and stirring speed directly affected MPs removal. Consequently, this research took a step toward finding a green strategy to remove MPs from water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeid Avazpour
- Water Engineering Department, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Masoud Noshadi
- Water Engineering Department, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
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Büngener L, Schäffer SM, Schwarz A, Schwalb A. Microplastics in a small river: Occurrence and influencing factors along the river Oker, Northern Germany. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2024; 264:104366. [PMID: 38759476 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2024.104366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Much attention regarding the environmental pollution by plastics had focused on the Oceans. More recently, contamination of freshwater ecosystems has been addressed but information from smaller rivers in moderately populated catchments is still comparatively scarce. This study explored the microplastic (MP) occurrence in the small regional river Oker, Northern Germany (catchment area 1822 km2, population of ca. 500,000, discharge approx. 12 m3 s-1). MPs (fibers and fragments in the size range 0.3-5 mm, identification by microscopy) were found in all 10 in-stream samples collected along the course of the river, ranging between 28 and 134 particles m-3 with an overall average of 63 particles m-3. This MP concentration found in the small river Oker is similar to, or higher than, that reported for larger rivers in similar environments in Central Europe. On average, higher MP concentration was found at urban (71 particles m-3) compared to rural sampling sites (51 particles m-3). Within the Oker catchment, in-stream MP concentration showed no or low correlation to the catchment-scale factors of catchment size and population. Additional samples taken from three locations directly influenced by discharges of potential MP point sources confirmed wastewater treatment plants of different capacities and an urban rainwater sewer as sources. Our results support findings that MP concentrations in small rivers are crucially influenced by local sources, superimposing linear relationships to factors of catchment size and -population. They show that even small rivers draining moderately populated catchments may exhibit comparatively high concentrations of MPs, and thereby represent underestimated pathways of MP in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Büngener
- Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Sarah-Maria Schäffer
- Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Anja Schwarz
- Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Antje Schwalb
- Institute of Geosystems and Bioindication, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany
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Vass M, Ramasamy KP, Andersson A. Microbial hitchhikers on microplastics: The exchange of aquatic microbes across distinct aquatic habitats. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16618. [PMID: 38561820 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have the potential to modify aquatic microbial communities and distribute microorganisms, including pathogens. This poses a potential risk to aquatic life and human health. Despite this, the fate of 'hitchhiking' microbes on MPs that traverse different aquatic habitats remains largely unknown. To address this, we conducted a 50-day microcosm experiment, manipulating estuarine conditions to study the exchange of bacteria and microeukaryotes between river, sea and plastisphere using a long-read metabarcoding approach. Our findings revealed a significant increase in bacteria on the plastisphere, including Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Hyphomonas, Brevundimonas, Aquabacterium and Thalassolituus, all of which are known for their pollutant degradation capabilities, specifically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We also observed a strong association of plastic-degrading fungi (i.e., Cladosporium and Plectosphaerella) and early-diverging fungi (Cryptomycota, also known as Rozellomycota) with the plastisphere. Sea MPs were primarily colonised by fungi (70%), with a small proportion of river-transported microbes (1%-4%). The mere presence of MPs in seawater increased the relative abundance of planktonic fungi from 2% to 25%, suggesting significant exchanges between planktonic and plastisphere communities. Using microbial source tracking, we discovered that MPs only dispersed 3.5% and 5.5% of river bacterial and microeukaryotic communities into the sea, respectively. Hence, although MPs select and facilitate the dispersal of ecologically significant microorganisms, drastic compositional changes across distinct aquatic habitats are unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Vass
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kesava Priyan Ramasamy
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Marine Sciences Centre, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Agneta Andersson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Marine Sciences Centre, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Talukdar A, Kundu P, Bhattacharya S, Dutta N. Microplastic contamination in wastewater: Sources, distribution, detection and remediation through physical and chemical-biological methods. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170254. [PMID: 38253100 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. that have been widely detected in the environment, including in wastewater. They originate from various sources including breakdown of larger plastic debris, release of plastic fibres from textiles, and microbeads commonly used in personal care products. In wastewater, microplastics can pass through the treatment process and enter the environment, causing harm to biodiversity by potentially entering the food chain. Additionally, microplastics can act as a vector for harmful pollutants, increasing their transport and distribution in the environment. To address this issue, there is a growing need for effective wastewater treatment methods that can effectively remove microplastics. Currently, several physical and chemical methods are available, including filtration, sedimentation, and chemical degradation. However, these methods are costly, low efficiency and generate secondary pollutants. Furthermore, lack of standardization in the measurement and reporting of microplastics in wastewater, makes it difficult to accurately assess microplastic impact on the environment. In order to effectively manage these issues, further research and development of effective and efficient methods for removing microplastics from wastewater, as well as standardization in measurement and reporting, are necessary to effectively manage these detrimental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishek Talukdar
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Pritha Kundu
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar 803116, India
| | - Sayan Bhattacharya
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar 803116, India.
| | - Nalok Dutta
- Biochemical Engineering Department, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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11
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Sun H, Hu J, Wu Y, Gong H, Zhu N, Yuan H. Leachate from municipal solid waste landfills: A neglected source of microplastics in the environment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133144. [PMID: 38056251 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade or so, microplastics (MPs) have received increasing attention due to their ubiquity and potential risk to the environment. Waste plastics usually end up in landfills. These plastics in landfills undergo physical compression, chemical oxidation, and biological decomposition, breaking down into MPs. As a result, landfill leachate stores large amounts of MPs, which can negatively impact the surrounding soil and water environment. However, not enough attention has been given to the occurrence and removal of MPs in landfill leachate. This lack of knowledge has led to landfills being an underestimated source of microplastics. In order to fill this knowledge gap, this paper collects relevant literature on MPs in landfill leachate from domestic and international sources, systematically summarizes their presence within Asia and Europe, assesses the impacts of landfill leachate on MPs in the adjacent environment, and particularly discusses the possible ecotoxicological effects of MPs in leachate. We found high levels of MPs in the soil and water around informal landfills, and the MPs themselves and the toxic substances they carry can have toxic effects on organisms. In addition, this paper summarizes the potential impact of MPs on the biochemical treatment stage of leachate, finds that the effects of MPs on the biochemical treatment stage and membrane filtration are more significant, and proposes some novel processes for MPs removal from leachate. This analysis contributes to the removal of MPs from leachate. This study is the first comprehensive review of the occurrence, environmental impact, and removal of MPs in leachate from landfills in Asia and Europe. It offers a comprehensive theoretical reference for the field, providing invaluable insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Sun
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jinwen Hu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - You Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Huabo Gong
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Nanwen Zhu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Haiping Yuan
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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12
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Nasir MS, Tahir I, Ali A, Ayub I, Nasir A, Abbas N, Sajjad U, Hamid K. Innovative technologies for removal of micro plastic: A review of recent advances. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25883. [PMID: 38380043 PMCID: PMC10877293 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Plastics are becoming a pervasive pollutant in every environmental matrix, particularly in the aquatic environment. Due to increased plastic usage and its impact on human and aquatic life, microplastic (MP) pollution has been studied extensively as a global issue. The production of MP has been linked to both consumer and commercial practices. There is a significant amount of MP's that must be removed by wastewater treatment plants before they can be bioaccumulated. Many researchers have recently become interested in the possibility of eliminating MPs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Many studies have analyzed MP's environmental effects, including its emission sources, distribution, and impact on the surrounding environment. The effectiveness of their removal by various wastewater treatment technologies requires a critical review that accounts for all these methods. In this review, we have covered the most useful technologies for the removal of MP during WWTP. The findings of this review should help scientists and policymakers move forward with studies, prototypes, and proposals for significant remediation impact on water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Salman Nasir
- Department of Structures and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Ifrah Tahir
- Department of Structures and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Ahsan Ali
- Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Iqra Ayub
- Department of Energy Systems Engineering, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Nasir
- Department of Structures and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Naseem Abbas
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul, 05006, South Korea
| | - Uzair Sajjad
- Department of Energy and Refrigerating Air-Conditioning Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, 10608, Taiwan
| | - Khalid Hamid
- Process and Power Research Group, Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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13
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Qin M, Wang YY, Xu M, Tang J, Tang X, Mahmood Q, Tang CJ. Characterization of the microplastic photoaging under the action of typical salt ions of biological nitrogen removal processes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169596. [PMID: 38147940 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are one of the most prevalent and diverse contaminants, and wastewater treatment plants are significant MP aggregators. Controlling the pollution caused by microplastics requires an understanding of how they age. The properties of the MPs photoaging process under the influence of salt ions typical of biological nitrogen elimination processes were disclosed in this work. The aging process of polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) was greatly slowed down by greater HCO3- and NO2- concentrations, according to a comparison of the carbonyl index changes that occurred during photoaging. The carbonyl index had a negative correlation with the thermal stability of the photo-aged PVC-MPs, and aging accelerated the elimination of chlorine from the water. The samples were aged by UV radiation after 36 h at 40 °C, and the amount of chlorine eliminated was 10.13 times greater than that of the original MPs samples. It was discovered that the leachate concentration of aged MPs dramatically increased with decreasing particle size and was positively connected with the level of aging by comparing the concentration of leachate for two particle sizes (1 mm and 100 m). Photoaging caused MPs to become rougher, which in turn improved the NO3--N, NH4+-N, and NO2--N adsorption by PVC-MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muchuan Qin
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Yun-Yan Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Mingfei Xu
- Dagang Oilfield Production Technology Research Institute, Binhai New Area, Tianjin 300280, China.
| | - Jia Tang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Xi Tang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Qaisar Mahmood
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan.
| | - Chong-Jian Tang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083, China.
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14
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Sethulekshmi S, Shriwastav A. Long-term presence of microplastics in aerobic and anaerobic sequential batch reactors: Effect on treatment, microbial diversity, and microplastics morphology. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 250:121029. [PMID: 38142505 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.121029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are identified as the significant sink and source of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic bodies and terrestrial systems. A major fraction of MPs gets retained in STPs for a longer duration, and their potentiality for secondary MPs generation and additives leaching remain under investigated. Therefore, this study focussed on the effect of long-term exposure of aerobic and anaerobic biological sewage treatment units on MPs, along with the effect of MPs on treatment efficiency and microbial consortium. A mixture of polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and nylon MPs at 262 MPs/L was spiked in the aerobic and anaerobic sequential batch reactors (SBRs) for 120 days at the start of study. The study revealed a release of noteworthy fraction of secondary MPs into the reactors from spiked MPs. At the end of 120th day, the presence of secondary generated MPs was estimated as 1000 ± 71 MPs/L and 650±141 MPs/L in aerobic and anaerobic SBRs respectively. Most of the observed secondary MPs were of size < 300 µm. Leaching of additives, i.e. cyclohexylamine, cyclotetradecane, octadecanol, pipericine etc., into the SBR effluents were also observed. The depuration capacities of the reactors were not affected with the presence of MPs during the study. While the microbial diversity and abundance were negatively impacted in aerobic SBRs, no such impacts were observed in anaerobic SBRs due to MPs. These results do suggest such exposures to potentially cause secondary MPs and chemical pollution in receiving matrices for the treated effluent, as well as effect on the native microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sethulekshmi
- Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India
| | - Amritanshu Shriwastav
- Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076, India.
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15
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Wang S, Mintenig SM, Cheng C, Wu J, Koelmans AA. Extent and risks of microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River. State of the science. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 910:168538. [PMID: 37984663 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The Yangtze River (YR) is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world, and is recognized as one of the most microplastic-polluted rivers globally. However, to date, no consistent and systematic risk assessment has been conducted for the YR basin or other rivers in China. Previous assessments of microplastic occurrence, distribution, or risks in the YR basin did not take into account the sometimes-limited quality of the data or compared incomparable data, which can lead to biased assessments. The actual prospective ecological risks of microplastic pollution in the YR basin are therefore unknown. In this review, we analyze data from 21 microplastic studies to assess the occurrence and distribution of microplastics and their characteristics. We also evaluate the quality of the studies using updated quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) criteria. Although we observe an upward trend in QA/QC scores, indicating improved data quality, no study received positive scores on all critical criteria. The microplastic exposure data from the YR basin is among the highest reported for rivers and other aquatic systems worldwide, exceeding effect thresholds in some parts of the river. We recommend generating comprehensive monitoring data of higher quality, with a greater emphasis on smaller-size microplastics, so that future risk assessments can be performed with less reliance on data alignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siting Wang
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, the Netherlands; Research Center of Environmental Technology in Water Pollution Source Identification and Precise Supervision, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research and Development Center of Advanced Environmental Supervision Technology and Instrument, Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Svenja M Mintenig
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Research Center of Environmental Technology in Water Pollution Source Identification and Precise Supervision, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Research Center of Environmental Technology in Water Pollution Source Identification and Precise Supervision, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research and Development Center of Advanced Environmental Supervision Technology and Instrument, Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou) Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Albert A Koelmans
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University, the Netherlands.
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16
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Parashar N, Hait S. Abundance, characterization, and removal of microplastics in different technology-based sewage treatment plants discharging into the middle stretch of the Ganga River, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167099. [PMID: 37730063 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are considered as a prominent source for releasing microplastics (MPs) into the riverine systems. Though MPs abundance and removal efficacy in different secondary treatment technique-based STPs have been extensively studied worldwide, such studies are scarce in Indian conditions. Herein, this study comprehensively assesses MPs abundance, characterization, and their removal in the selected secondary treatment technique-based STPs discharging into the middle stretch of the Ganga River in India. MPs concentration (n/L) in influent and effluent of the STPs varied between 42 ± 10 to 150 ± 19 and 3 ± 1 to 22 ± 5, respectively. Overall, the primary treatment stage was observed to remove MPs by 23-42 %, while the secondary treatment stage removed MPs by 67-90 %. Selected technique-based STPs exhibited varying MPs removal efficacies as follows: SBR (94 %), TF (90 %), AL (88 %), UASB (87 %), ASP (85 %), FAB (84 %), and Bio-tower (77 %). MPs ranging from 50 to 250 μm were the dominant sizes, with PP, PE, and PS being the prevalent polymers. The Ganga River receives about 3 × 108 MPs/day from STP effluents, and an estimated 4.5 × 107 MPs/day are released via the sludge. This comprehensive assessment of MPs abundance and removal from different technology-based Indian STPs will allow the comparison of the generated dataset with similar studies worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Parashar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar 801 106, India
| | - Subrata Hait
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar 801 106, India.
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17
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Pleskytė S, Uogintė I, Burbulytė A, Byčenkienė S. Characteristics and removal efficiency of microplastics at secondary wastewater treatment plant in Lithuania. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2023; 95:e10958. [PMID: 38149312 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are the most significant barrier between anthropogenic microplastics and environmental ecosystems. The distribution and characteristics of microplastics in WWTPs remain uncertain and incompletely understood, particularly in northeastern Europe (Baltic States), where there is a lack of data on microplastic pollution and distribution. This study presents the removal efficiency and variation in characteristics of microplastics in different stages of the secondary WWTP during a 3-month sampling campaign in Lithuania. The abundance, size, shape, color, and chemical composition of microplastics in the wastewater at different treatment stages were thoroughly examined, in a size range from 20 to 1000 μm. On average, 2962 ± 25 particles/L of microplastic enter the studied WWTP. The obtained microplastic removal efficiency was 55.4% ± 3.9%, highlighting the necessity to enhance wastewater treatment strategies focusing on microplastic removal. Fragment-type microplastics smaller than 100 μm were removed from wastewater samples with the highest removal efficiency. Furthermore, our study includes recommendations to improve microplastic removal efficiency and contribute to mitigating microplastic pollution. PRACTITIONER POINTS: A large number of MPs in the size range of 20-1000 μm enter Lithuanian WWTP. Small-sized MPs within a range of 20-50 μm and 50-100 μm were removed with the highest efficiency of 54.07 ± 1.68% and 56.4 ± 2.43%, respectively. The shape and size of MPs have a major impact on the efficiency of their removal. Future research should prioritize the development of economical and energy-efficient systems, specifically designed for the removal of MPs in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonata Pleskytė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ieva Uogintė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Austėja Burbulytė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Vilnius, Lithuania
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18
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Franco AA, Iglesias-Arroyo D, Egea-Corbacho Á, Martín-García AP, Quiroga JM, Coello MD. Influence of tourism on microplastic contamination at wastewater treatment plants in the coastal municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165573. [PMID: 37459988 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The tourism is one of the most important sources of the economy in the Bay of Cadiz. Specifically, the municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera, with a population lower than 90,000 citizens, located in the southeast of Spain. During the summer season the population duplicates leading to an increment in flow at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These facilities have been reported as a source of microplastics (MPs) into marine ecosystems, therefore the aim of the present study is to investigate if the tourism affects the presence, discharge and in the receiving environment. Samples were taken at the influent and effluent of the municipal WWTPs (one located at the urban area and other located at resort area) during 2021 (including low and high season). MPs were collected and extracted from wastewater matrixes following the method recommended by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and UTS treatment to reduce organic matter and cellulose, respectively. The analysis of the samples was performed according to their abundance, shape, size, and type of polymer, along with the removal rates of MPs at WWTPs. The results showed heterogeneous MPs abundance ranging from 1246.4 to 345.7 MPs/L and 72.9 to 4.2, in the influent and effluent, respectively, increasing the presence of MPs at resort WWTP during high season. Fibers were the predominant shape within all the samples. A total of 17 polymers were identified, by ATR-FTIR, where Acrylates, PE and PA were the largest polymers found. Despite the high MPs retention performance of the WWTPs analyzed (84.1-99.3 %), a combined contribution of approximately 1.4 × 107-5.9 × 108 MPs/d to the aquatic environment was estimated. Finally, these results indicate that the increase of MPs in the wastewater at WWTP-B was related with the population increase as a consequence of summer tourism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Amelia Franco
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, INMAR-Marine Research Institute, CEIMAR International Campus of Excellence of the Sea, University of Cadiz, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain
| | - Diana Iglesias-Arroyo
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, INMAR-Marine Research Institute, CEIMAR International Campus of Excellence of the Sea, University of Cadiz, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain
| | - Ágata Egea-Corbacho
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, INMAR-Marine Research Institute, CEIMAR International Campus of Excellence of the Sea, University of Cadiz, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain; Materials and Sustainability Group, Department of Engineering, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Avda. de las Universidades s/n, 41704 Dos Hermanas, Seville, Spain.
| | - Ana Pilar Martín-García
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, INMAR-Marine Research Institute, CEIMAR International Campus of Excellence of the Sea, University of Cadiz, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain
| | - José María Quiroga
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, INMAR-Marine Research Institute, CEIMAR International Campus of Excellence of the Sea, University of Cadiz, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Coello
- Department of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, INMAR-Marine Research Institute, CEIMAR International Campus of Excellence of the Sea, University of Cadiz, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz, Spain
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19
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Sol D, Solís-Balbín C, Laca A, Laca A, Díaz M. A standard analytical approach and establishing criteria for microplastic concentrations in wastewater, drinking water and tap water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 899:165356. [PMID: 37422236 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) in natural water bodies reflects the global issue regarding these micropollutants. The main problem of MPs lies on the difficulty of removing these particles from water during wastewater and drinking water treatments. The release of MPs to the environment in treated wastewater contributed to the dispersion of these micropollutants, which enhances the harmful effect of MPs on fauna and flora. In addition, their presence in tap water entails a potential risk to human health since MPs can be directly consumed. The first step is being able to quantify and characterise these microparticles accurately. In this work, a comprehensive analysis on the presence of MPs in wastewater, drinking water and tap water has been conducted with emphasis on sampling methods, pre-treatment, MP size and analytical methods. Based on literature data, a standard experimental procedure has been proposed with the objective of recommending a methodology that allows the homogenisation of MP analysis in water samples. Finally, reported MP concentrations for influents and effluents of drinking and wastewater treatment plants and tap water have been analysed, in terms of abundance, ranges and average values, and a tentative classification of different waters based on their MP concentrations is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sol
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Carmen Solís-Balbín
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Amanda Laca
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Adriana Laca
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Mario Díaz
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
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20
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Deng L, Yuan Y, Xi H, Wan C, Yu Y, Wu C. The destiny of microplastics in one typical petrochemical wastewater treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 896:165274. [PMID: 37406692 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) is a type of emerging contaminant that is verified to be threatening to some organisms. Controlling MP emission from the source is preferred for its refractory characteristic. The petrochemical industry is a possible contributor, responsible for the most plastic production, and wastewater is the most possible sink of MP. This study applied the Agilent 8700 Laser infrared imaging spectrometer (LDIR) to detect MPs in one typical petrochemical wastewater treatment plant (PWWTP). It was determined that the abundances of MPs in the influent and effluent of the target PWWTP were as high as 7706 and 608 particles/L. The primary treatment removed most MPs (87.5 %) with a final removal efficiency of 92.1 %. 23 types of MPs were identified, and Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Silicone resin prevailed in the effluent. All the MPs were smaller than 483.9 μm. All in all, this study preliminarily unveiled the ignorable status of the petrochemical industry in releasing MPs into the water environment for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Deng
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Hongbo Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Chunli Wan
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Changyong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
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21
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Sari Erkan H, Takatas B, Ozturk A, Gündogdu S, Aydın F, Koker L, Ozdemir OK, Albay M, Onkal Engin G. Spatio-temporal distribution of microplastic pollution in surface sediments along the coastal areas of Istanbul, Turkey. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 195:115461. [PMID: 37659384 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have become prevalent in various environmental compartments, including air, water, and soil, attracting attention as significant pollutant parameters. This study investigated the prevalence of MP pollution in surface sediments along Istanbul's Marmara Sea, encompassing the megacity and the Bosphorus. A comprehensive sampling approach was employed, covering 43 stations across four seasons and depths ranging from 5 to 70 m. The objective was to assess the impact of terrestrial, social, and industrial activities on MPs. The average concentrations varied per season, with fall, winter, spring, and summer values recorded as 2000 ± 4100, 1600 ± 3900, 4300 ± 12,000, and 9500 ± 20,300 particles/kg-DW. The study identified river stations in the Golden Horn and sea discharge locations as hotspots for high concentrations. Notably, the dominant shape shifted from fibers in fall, winter, and spring to fragments during summer, coinciding with mucilage occurrences. The study identified 11 different polymers, with polyethylene (44 %) and polypropylene (31 %) being the most common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanife Sari Erkan
- Yildiz Technical University, Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Davutpasa, Esenler, 34220 Istanbul, Turkiye.
| | - Betul Takatas
- Yildiz Technical University, Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Davutpasa, Esenler, 34220 Istanbul, Turkiye
| | - Alihan Ozturk
- Yildiz Technical University, Control and Automation Engineering Department, 34349 Istanbul, Turkiye
| | - Sedat Gündogdu
- Cukurova University, Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Basic Sciences, 01330 Adana, Turkiye
| | - Fatih Aydın
- Istanbul University, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Department of Freshwater Resources and Management, Istanbul, Turkiye
| | - Latife Koker
- Istanbul University, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Department of Freshwater Resources and Management, Istanbul, Turkiye
| | - Oguz Kaan Ozdemir
- Yıldız Technical University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, 34220 İstanbul, Turkiye
| | - Meric Albay
- Istanbul University, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Department of Freshwater Resources and Management, Istanbul, Turkiye
| | - Guleda Onkal Engin
- Yildiz Technical University, Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Davutpasa, Esenler, 34220 Istanbul, Turkiye
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22
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Parashar N, Hait S. Recent advances on microplastics pollution and removal from wastewater systems: A critical review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 340:118014. [PMID: 37121002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) (plastic particles <5 mm) are globally acknowledged as a serious emerging micropollutant, which passes through various pathways in natural habitats and eventually ends up in our food chain. In this context, the present study critically reviews recent advances in MPs sampling and detection, occurrence, fate, and removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by delineating their characteristics that manifest toxicity in the environment via effluent discharge. While there is currently no standard protocol in place, this work examined and compared the latest approaches adopted for improved sampling, sample processing, and characterization of MPs via fluorescence imaging and certified reference materials for method validation. MPs concentration from different sources in the WWTPs varies considerably ranging between 0.28 and 18285 MPs/L (raw wastewater), 0.004-750 MPs/L (effluent), and 0.00023-10380 MPs/kg (sludge). Assessment of MPs removal efficiency across different treatment stages in various in WWTPs has been performed and elucidated their removal mechanisms. The overall MPs removal efficiency in primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment stages in WWTPs reported to be around 57-99%, 78.1-99.4%, and 90-99.2%, respectively. Moreover, the review covers advanced treatment methods for removing MPs, including membrane bioreactors, coagulation/flocculation, ultrafiltration, rapid sand filtration, ozonation, disc filtration, and reverse osmosis, which have been found to be highly effective (>99%). Membrane bioreactors have been proclaimed to be the most reliable secondary treatment technique for MPs removal. Coagulation (92.2-95.7%) followed by ozonation (99.2%) as a tertiary treatment chain has been demonstrated to be the most efficient in removing MPs from secondary-treated wastewater effluent. Further, the review delineates the effect of different treatment stages on the physical and chemical characteristics of MPs, associated toxicity, and potential impact factors that can influence the MPs removal efficiency in WWTPs. Conclusively, the merits and demerits of advanced treatment techniques to mitigate MPs pollution from the wastewater system, research gaps, and future perspectives have been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Parashar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar, 801 106, India
| | - Subrata Hait
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar, 801 106, India.
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23
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Abidli S, Zaidi S, Ben Younes R, Lahbib Y, Trigui El Menif N. Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the clam Ruditapes decussatus (Mollusca: Bivalvia): examination of filtration rate, growth, and immunomodulation. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:746-755. [PMID: 37460906 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02683-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The present study was conducted to assess, for the first time, the effects of a 14 days experimental exposure to polyethylene (PE) based MPs (40-48 µm) on the clam Ruditapes decussatus. Clams were exposed to three different concentrations of MPs in controlled laboratory conditions: 10 µg/L (low), 100 µg/L (medium), and 1000 µg/L (high). The effects of MPs were assessed using a multi-marker approach, including the filtration rate, growth, and the integrity of immune cells (such as haemocyte numbers, viability, and lysosomal membrane destabilization). The results revealed that as the concentration of PE-MPs increased, the filtration rate decreased, indicating that PE-MPs hindered the clams' ability to filter water. Furthermore, there was a noticeable decrease in the overall weight of the clams, particularly in the group exposed to 1000 µg/L. This decrease could be attributed to the impairment of their nutrient filtration function. In terms of immune system biomarkers, exposure to PE-MPs led to immune system disruption, characterized by a significant increase in the number of haemocytic cells, especially in the group exposed to the high concentration. Additionally, there was a notable reduction in the viability of haemocytes, resulting in the destabilization of their lysosomal membranes, particularly in the groups exposed to medium and high PE-MPs concentrations. The findings of this study indicate that the sensitivity of hemolymph parameter changes and filtration rate in R. decussatus exposed to PE-MPs (100 and 1000 µg/L), surpasses that of growth performance and can serve as reliable indicators to assess habitat conditions and contaminant levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Abidli
- University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Laboratory of Environment Bio-monitoring, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
| | - Salha Zaidi
- University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Laboratory of Environment Bio-monitoring, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia
| | - Ridha Ben Younes
- University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Research Unit of Immuno-Microbiology Environmental and Carcinogenesis, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia
| | - Youssef Lahbib
- University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Laboratory of Environment Bio-monitoring, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia
| | - Najoua Trigui El Menif
- University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Laboratory of Environment Bio-monitoring, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia
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Quang HHP, Dinh DA, Dutta V, Chauhan A, Lahiri SK, Gopalakrishnan C, Radhakrishnan A, Batoo KM, Thi LAP. Current approaches, and challenges on identification, remediation and potential risks of emerging plastic contaminants: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2023:104193. [PMID: 37348772 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are widely employed in modern civilization because of their durability, mold ability, and light weight. In the recent decade, micro/nanoplastics research has steadily increased, highlighting its relevance. However, contaminating micro/nanoplastics in marine environments, terrestrial ecosystems, and biological organisms is considered a severe threat to the environmental system. Geographical distribution, migration patterns, etymologies of formation, and ecological ramifications of absorption are just a few topics covered in the scientific literature on environmental issues. Degradable solutions from material science and chemistry are needed to address the micro/nanoplastics problem, primarily to reduce the production of these pollutants and their potential effects. Removing micro/nanoplastics from their discharge points has been a central and effective way to mitigate the adverse pollution effects. In this review, we begin by discussing the hazardous effect on living beings and the identification-characterization of micro/nanoplastics. Then, we provide a summary of the existing degradation strategies, which include bio-degradation and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), and a detailed discussion of their degradation mechanisms is also represented. Finally, a persuasive summary of the evaluated work and projections for the future of this topic is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huy Hoang Phan Quang
- Faculty of Biology and Environment, Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, 140 Le Trong Tan Street, Tay Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Duc Anh Dinh
- VKTech Research Center, NTT Hi-Tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Viet Nam
| | - Vishal Dutta
- University Centre for Research and Development, Department of Chemistry, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab.
| | - Ankush Chauhan
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam-603103, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Sudip Kumar Lahiri
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, 5 King's College Road, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - C Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Arunkumar Radhakrishnan
- Department of Pharmacology, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kelambakkam-603103, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Khalid Mujasam Batoo
- King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lan-Anh Phan Thi
- VNU Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety Control (KLATEFOS), University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam; Center for Environmental Technology and Sustainable Development (CETASD), University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam.
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25
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Asadi A, Khodadost F, Pirsaheb M, Davoodi R. Abundance, characteristics, fate, and removal of microplastics during municipal wastewater treatment plant in the west of Iran: the case of Kermanshah city. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:857. [PMID: 37330424 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11473-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The threat of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic systems is almost a new challenge in environmental management. The municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) act both as collectors of MPs from anthropic use and as a source to natural environments. This study is aimed to determine the abundance, characteristics, and removal of MPs in a municipal WWTP with conventional activated sludge process. Particle size/type, influent loads, and removal rate of MPs in bar screen, grit chamber, primary sedimentation, returned activated sludge, and secondary clarification units of this WWTP were studied by collecting composite samples from wastewater and sludge over a 3-month sampling campaign. Suspected MP particles were counted by light microscopy and characterized using SEM, EDS, FTIR, and TGA-DSC techniques. The mean total MPs, fibers, and fragment concentration after the grit chamber were 6608, 3594, and 3014 which were reduced to 1855, 802, and 1053 particles/L in the effluent, respectively. The sludge retention of total MPs, fibers, and fragments were 8001, 3277, and 4719 particles/L, respectively. The overall efficiency of WWTP with an activated sludge process to remove MPs was 64% and it removed 66.6% and 60% of fibers and fragments, respectively. Fibers were the dominant shape for the collected samples after the grit chamber and fragments were prevalent in the effluent. Polyethylene polymer was detected in most wastewater samples. Existing treatment processes are effective in the removal of MP particles but still act as a potential source to the aquatic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvar Asadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Faranak Khodadost
- Students Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Meghdad Pirsaheb
- Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Reza Davoodi
- Kermanshah, Water & Waste Water Co, Kermanshah, Iran
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Park S, Kim I, Jeon WH, Moon HS. Exploring the vertical transport of microplastics in subsurface environments: Lab-scale experiments and field evidence. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2023; 257:104215. [PMID: 37348415 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2023.104215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) defined as smaller 5 mm plastic particles have received increasing attention due to their global occurrence and potential toxicity. This study investigated the effects of environmental factors (rainfall intensity, 13 and 29 mm/h) and MP characteristics (morphology (fiber, flake, and film), polymer type (polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS)) and size (100-300, 300-500, and 500-1000 μm)) on the vertical transport of MP in unsaturated soil conditions using lab-scale column experiments. Additionally, the occurrence and characteristics of MP detected in soil/sediment (total 13 samples) and groundwater samples (total 6 samples) were explored in the field study. Laboratory-scale column experiments revealed that heavy rainfall intensity (29 mm/h) increased the degree of MP vertical transport in unsaturated soil conditions and MP fibers showed the greatest vertical mobility among the various morphologies of MPs assessed. For the polymer type and size, the lighter PP polymer or the larger size of MP (500-1000 μm) showed higher mobility. In the field study, a statistical difference in MP abundance was observed depending on the population density and degree of urban development in both soil and groundwater samples. Comparing to the two different types of environmental media samples obtained from the same site, there was a significant difference in the composition of polymer types present while statistically no difference in MP abundance was observed between the two media samples (i.e., soil or sediment and groundwater). In addition, MP fibers and polyethylene (PE) were predominantly detected in our two study areas. These results suggest that various types of MP can pass through the unsaturated zone by water infiltration, even if it takes a long time to reach groundwater. Overall, we found that the degree of vertical transport of the MPs was highly sensitive to environmental conditions and MP characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saerom Park
- Department of Environmental Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Gyeonggi-do 10223, Republic of Korea
| | - Ilho Kim
- Department of Environmental Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), Gyeonggi-do 10223, Republic of Korea; Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Hyun Jeon
- Groundwater Environment Research Center, Climate Change Response Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon 34132, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Sun Moon
- Groundwater Environment Research Center, Climate Change Response Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon 34132, Republic of Korea; Geological Science, University of Science Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea.
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27
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Ahmed ASS, Billah MM, Ali MM, Bhuiyan MKA, Guo L, Mohinuzzaman M, Hossain MB, Rahman MS, Islam MS, Yan M, Cai W. Microplastics in aquatic environments: A comprehensive review of toxicity, removal, and remediation strategies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162414. [PMID: 36868275 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments has been a global concern because they are toxic and persistent and may serve as a vector for many legacies and emerging pollutants. MPs are discharged to aquatic environments from different sources, especially from wastewater plants (WWPs), causing severe impacts on aquatic organisms. This study mainly aims to review the Toxicity of MPs along with plastic additives in aquatic organisms at various trophic compartments and available remediation methods/strategies for MPs in aquatic environments. Occurrences of oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and alterations in enzyme activity, growth, and feeding performance were identical in fish due to MPs toxicity. On the other hand, growth inhibition and ROS formation were observed in most of the microalgae species. In zooplankton, potential impacts were acceleration of premature molting, growth retardation, mortality increase, feeding behaviour, lipid accumulation, and decreased reproduction activity. MPs togather with additive contaminants could also exert some toxicological impacts on polychaete, including neurotoxicity, destabilization of the cytoskeleton, reduced feeding rate, growth, survivability and burrowing ability, weight loss, and high rate of mRNA transcription. Among different chemical and biological treatments for MPs, high removal rates have been reported for coagulation and filtration (>86.5 %), electrocoagulation (>90 %), advanced oxidation process (AOPs) (30 % to 95 %), primary sedimentation/Grit chamber (16.5 % to 58.84 %), adsorption removal technique (>95 %), magnetic filtration (78 % to 93 %), oil film extraction (>95 %), and density separation (95 % to 100 %). However, desirable extraction methods are required for large-scale research in MPs removal from aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Shafiuddin Ahmed
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
| | - Md Masum Billah
- Inter-Departmental Research Centre for Environmental Science-CIRSA, University of Bologna, Ravenna Campus, Italy
| | - Mir Mohammad Ali
- Department of Aquaculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Khurshid Alam Bhuiyan
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Laodong Guo
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Mohammad Mohinuzzaman
- Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, Bangladesh
| | - M Belal Hossain
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, Bangladesh; School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - M Safiur Rahman
- Water Quality Research Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Center, Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Saiful Islam
- Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Meng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wenlong Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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28
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Almeida JC, Castro ÍB, Nunes BZ, Zanardi-Lamardo E. Antifouling booster biocides in Latin America and the Caribbean: A 20-year review. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 189:114718. [PMID: 36807046 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This review summarized booster biocides studies from Latin America and the Caribbean during the last two decades. Studies were focused on six countries, with most of them in Brazil. In water and sediment, diuron and Irgarol were the most abundant and frequent biocides, probably due to their former intense use. Antifouling paint particles were also reported and had mainly DCOIT, which is currently the most used booster biocide. Toxicity of individual booster biocides was tested in laboratory, and most effects were related to chlorothalonil, DCOIT, dichlofluanid, and Irgarol, including, but not limited to DNA damage, fertility decrease, and mortality at different trophic levels. This review highlighted the need for further studies on environmental occurrence of booster biocides in Latin America and Caribbean associated to ecotoxicological studies. Such information is essential to determine the potential ecological risks and to create directives regarding safe limits of booster biocides in aquatic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Cintra Almeida
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Arquitetura s/n - Cid. Universitária, CEP: 50740-550 Recife, Brazil
| | - Ítalo Braga Castro
- Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (IMAR-UNIFESP), Av. Almirante Saldanha da Gama, CEP: 11030-400 Santos, SP, Brazil; PPG em Oceanologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (IO-FURG), Av. Itália s/n, Campus Carreiros, CEP: 96203-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Zachello Nunes
- PPG em Oceanologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (IO-FURG), Av. Itália s/n, Campus Carreiros, CEP: 96203-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Eliete Zanardi-Lamardo
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Arquitetura s/n - Cid. Universitária, CEP: 50740-550 Recife, Brazil.
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29
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Rathinamoorthy R, Raja Balasaraswathi S. Characterization of microfibers released from chemically modified polyester fabrics - A step towards mitigation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 866:161317. [PMID: 36603614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic textiles are one of the significant contributors to microfiber pollution, a subclass of microplastics. The impact of microfibers on the environment is irreversible. Several attempts were made to mitigate and control the microfiber release from synthetic textiles by introducing filters and laundry aids in washing machines, whereas some came up with methods to modify the textile materials to release fewer fibers. Studies have related different textile properties with their microfiber release potential. However, moisture properties, one of the essential properties that determine comfort, are not well explored. Hence, this research attempted to mitigate the microfiber release by altering the hydrophilicity of the polyester fabrics through chemical treatment (sodium hydroxide) with the hypothesis that hydrophilicity reduces the microfiber release. Both woven and knitted polyester fabrics were treated with different concentrations of the alkali solution (0.25 M, 0.50 M, 0.75 M, 1.00 M) and evaluated for their microfiber release. Treated fabrics also showed variations in their moisture and physical properties. Woven fabrics showed reduced shedding compared to knitted fabrics due to their compact structure. The results showed that the increase in alkali concentration significantly reduced the microfiber release up to 89.6 % reduction with woven fabric (from 17.37 ± 1.55 fibers/sq.cm to 2.63 ± 0.23 fibers/sq.cm) and a reduction of 68 % was noted for knitted fabric treated with 0.75 M alkali concentration (from 24.38 ± 1.30 fibers/sq.cm to 8.74 ± 1.39 fibers/sq.cm). A higher negative correlation (r = 94 % for woven and 89 % for knitted) was noted between alkali concentration and microfiber release. The alkali treatment significantly reduced the average fiber length from 450 to 230 μm, and 63-93 % of the fibers identified were in size range of 100-500 μm. When the moisture properties of the alkali-treated fabrics are concerned, an increase in moisture properties reduces the microfiber release. Water contact angle and absorbency time positively correlated with microfiber release. However, the study did not show any significant effect of moisture regain percentage and vertical wicking on microfiber shedding. Except for abrasion resistance, the physical properties of alkali-treated fabric did not show any relationship with microfiber release. The study noted the order of factors influencing the microfiber release of polyester fabric as fabric structural parameters (Woven/Knits) > fabric hydrophilicity > fabric physical property.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Rathinamoorthy
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, India.
| | - S Raja Balasaraswathi
- Department of Fashion Technology, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, India
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Vercauteren M, Semmouri I, Van Acker E, Pequeur E, Janssen CR, Asselman J. Toward a Better Understanding of the Contribution of Wastewater Treatment Plants to Microplastic Pollution in Receiving Waterways. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:642-654. [PMID: 36524859 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (1 µm-5 mm), are ubiquitous in daily-use products and regularly end up in the wastewater. The main part of the wastewater is treated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which allow for at least partial removal of microplastics. The present study aimed to understand the contribution of domestic wastewater to microplastic pollution in Flanders (Belgium) via two main discharge routes of microplastics: (1) the effluent, and (2) removed fractions. Furthermore the effect of effluent discharge on the microplastic contamination in the waterway was studied in both surface water and sediment samples of upstream and downstream locations of the discharge from three WWTPs. On average, 12.64 ± 20.20 microplastic/L entered a WWTP (10 µm-5 mm). The effluent contained on average 0.41 ± 0.91 microplastic/L, resulting in an average removal efficiency of 97.46% ± 2.33%, which is comparable with various (non-)European countries. Removal efficiencies are both polymer- and size-specific, and data suggest that smaller particles are less efficiently removed from the wastewater, which also causes an increased input of smaller particles to the environment. The sludge is the most efficient treatment process to remove microplastics. Despite the high removal efficiencies, still 1.11 × 107 ± 3.07 × 107 microplastics end up in the nearby waterway daily. Nonetheless, based on the results gathered in the present study, this does not seem to impact the microplastic concentration in the waterway significantly. In summary, the present study offers a holistic approach in the research on the impact of wastewater on microplastic pollution in the ecosystem, integrating different discharge routes and measuring the impact on environmental microplastic pollution. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:642-654. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike Vercauteren
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ilias Semmouri
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Van Acker
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emmy Pequeur
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Colin R Janssen
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
| | - Jana Asselman
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
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Mehmood T, Mustafa B, Mackenzie K, Ali W, Sabir RI, Anum W, Gaurav GK, Riaz U, Liu X, Peng L. Recent developments in microplastic contaminated water treatment: Progress and prospects of carbon-based two-dimensional materials for membranes separation. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 316:137704. [PMID: 36592840 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Micro (nano)plastics pollution is a noxious menace not only for mankind but also for marine life, as removing microplastics (MPs) is challenging due to their physiochemical properties, composition, and response toward salinity and pH. This review provides a detailed assessment of the MPs pollution in different water types, environmental implications, and corresponding treatment strategies. With the advancement in nanotechnology, mitigation strategies for aqueous pollution are seen, especially due to the fabrication of nanosheets/membranes mostly utilized as a filtration process. Two-dimensional (2D) materials are increasingly used for membranes due to their diverse structure, affinity, cost-effectiveness, and, most importantly, removal efficiency. The popular 2D materials used for membrane-based organic and inorganic pollutants from water mainly include graphene and MXenes however their effectiveness for MPs removal is still in its infancy. Albeit, the available literature asserts a 70- 99% success rate in micro/nano plastics removal achieved through membranes fabricated via graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and MXene membranes. This review examined existing membrane separation strategies for MPs removal, focusing on the structural properties of 2D materials, composite, and how they adsorb pollutants and underlying physicochemical mechanisms. Since MPs and other contaminants commonly coexist in the natural environment, a brief examination of the response of 2D membranes to MPs removal was also conducted. In addition, the influencing factors regulate MPs removal performance of membranes by impacting their two main operating routes (filtration and adsorption). Finally, significant limitations, research gaps, and future prospects of 2D material-based membranes for effectively removing MPs are also proposed. The conclusion is that the success of 2D material is strongly linked to the types, size of MPs, and characteristics of aqueous media. Future perspectives talk about the problems that need to be solved to get 2D material-based membranes out of the lab and onto the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariq Mehmood
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, 570228, China; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Beenish Mustafa
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Katrin Mackenzie
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wahid Ali
- Department of Chemical Engineering Technology, College of Applied Industrial Technology (CAIT), Jazan University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Raja Irfan Sabir
- Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore; Pakistan
| | - Wajiha Anum
- Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Gajendra Kumar Gaurav
- Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory, SPIL, NETME Centre, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, VUT Brno, Technická 2896/2, 616 69, Brno, Czech Republic; School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China
| | - Umair Riaz
- Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, 60000, Pakistan
| | - Xinghui Liu
- School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077 China
| | - Licheng Peng
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, 570228, China.
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32
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Haldar S, Muralidaran Y, Míguez D, Mulla SI, Mishra P. Eco-toxicity of nano-plastics and its implication on human metabolism: Current and future perspective. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160571. [PMID: 36471520 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the current scenario, plastic pollution has become one of the serious environmental hazard problems due to its improper handling and insufficiency in degradation. Nanoplastics (NPs) are formed when plastic fragments are subjected to ultraviolet radiation, natural weathering, and biodegradation. This review paper focuses on the source of origin, bioaccumulation, potential nanoplastics toxicity impact towards environment and human system and management strategies towards plastic pollution. Moreover, this study demonstrates that nanoplastics interfere with metabolic pathways and cause organ dysfunction. A wide range of studies have documented the alteration of organism physiology and behavior, caused by NPs exposure. A major source of NPs exposure is via ingestion because these plastics are found in foods or food packaging, however, they can also enter the human body via inhalation but in a less well-defined form. In recent literature, the studies demonstrate the mechanisms for NP uptake, affecting factors that have been discussed followed by cytotoxic mechanisms of NPs. However, study on challenges regarding NPs toxicity for the risk assessment of human health is limited. It is important to perform and focus more on the possible impacts of NPs on human health to identify the key challenges and explore the potential impacts of their environmental accumulation and its toxicity impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoumi Haldar
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Yuvashree Muralidaran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Diana Míguez
- Latitud - Fundación LATU, Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay (LATU), Edificio Los Abetos, Avenida Italia 6201, C.P. 11500, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Sikandar I Mulla
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Allied Health Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Prabhakar Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
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Zhang Z, Liu W, Gao Q, Huang F, Kang Y, Pan Y, Luo G, Zhou X, Fan L, Wang A, Gao SH. Microplastics extraction from wastewater treatment plants: Two-step digestion pre-treatment and application. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 230:119569. [PMID: 36638737 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
As the gathering place of urban wastewater, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are indispensable for removing microplastics (MPs), one of the emerging contaminants of great concern, from cities into the natural environment. A reliable and efficient extraction method for MPs, especially in organic-rich matrices, such as sludge samples, is the basis for studying MPs contamination, while it is still lacking. The digestion process, which requires further optimisation, is the most important step during extraction. In this study, we developed and optimised a two-step digestion process to extract MPs and proposed a recommended dosage of digestion reagents based on the mixed liquid volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) level of the sample. Successive addition of 30% H2O2 + 1 M HNO3 (v:v = 1:1, T = 60 °C, t = 5 h + 5 h) could efficiently extract MPs from sludge samples (over 90%), and the recommended dosage of digestion reagent was 100 ml 30% H2O2+100 ml 1 M HNO3 with the sample MLVSS lower than approximately 0.43 g. This new method was also applied to examine the characteristics of MPs in two typical WWTPs (anaerobic-anoxic-oxic and biofilter processes) in Shenzhen. The concentrations of MPs in the influent, effluent and dewatered sludge were approximately 114.00 n/L, 6.00 n/L, and 126.00 n/g (dry weight) in WWTP A, whereas 404.00 n/L, 22.00 n/L, and 204.00 n/g (dry weight) in WWTP B, respectively. Rayon and polyester were the dominant polymers in both the WWTPs. Fibers accounted for the largest proportion of the influent and effluent. Sizes between 0.20-0.50 mm were most detected. This study provides a new and efficient reference method to extract MPs from WWTPs samples, especially sludge sample, with less MPs loss and more beneficial to subsequent identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Wenzong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Qun Gao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Yuanyuan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Yusheng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Gaoyang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Lu Fan
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China
| | - Shu-Hong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 150090, China.
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Krishnan RY, Manikandan S, Subbaiya R, Karmegam N, Kim W, Govarthanan M. Recent approaches and advanced wastewater treatment technologies for mitigating emerging microplastics contamination - A critical review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159681. [PMID: 36302412 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been identified as an emerging pollutant due to their irrefutable prevalence in air, soil, and particularly, the aquatic ecosystem. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are seen as the last line of defense which creates a barrier between microplastics and the environment. These microplastics are discharged in large quantities into aquatic bodies due to their insufficient containment during water treatment. As a result, WWTPs are regarded as point sources of microplastics release into the environment. Assessing the prevalence and behavior of microplastics in WWTPs is therefore critical for their control. The removal efficiency of microplastics was 65 %, 0.2-14 %, and 0.2-2 % after the successful primary, secondary and tertiary treatment phases in WWTPs. In this review, other than conventional treatment methods, advanced treatment methods have also been discussed. For the removal of microplastics in the size range 20-190 μm, advanced treatment methods like membrane bioreactors, rapid sand filtration, electrocoagulation and photocatalytic degradation was found to be effective and these methods helps in increasing the removal efficiency to >99 %. Bioremediation based approaches has found that sea grasses, lugworm and blue mussels has the ability to mitigate microplastics by acting as a natural trap to the microplastics pollutants and could act as candidate species for possible incorporation in WWTPs. Also, there is a need for controlling the use and unchecked release of microplastics into the environment through laws and regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhakrishnan Yedhu Krishnan
- Department of Food Technology, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirappally, Kottayam 686 518, Kerala, India
| | - Sivasubramanian Manikandan
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Chennai 602 105. Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ramasamy Subbaiya
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, The Copperbelt University, Riverside, Jambo Drive, P O Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia
| | - Natchimuthu Karmegam
- PG and Research Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem 636 007, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Woong Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
| | - Muthusamy Govarthanan
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea; Department of Biomaterials, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Adegoke KA, Adu FA, Oyebamiji AK, Bamisaye A, Adigun RA, Olasoji SO, Ogunjinmi OE. Microplastics toxicity, detection, and removal from water/wastewater. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 187:114546. [PMID: 36640497 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The world has witnessed massive and preeminent microplastics (MPs) pollution in water bodies due to the inevitable continuous production of plastics for various advantageous chemical and mechanical features. Plastic pollution, particularly contamination by MPs (plastic particles having a diameter lesser than 5 mm), has been a rising environmental concern in recent years due to the inappropriate disposal of plastic trash. This study presents the recent advancements in different technologies for MPs removal in order to gain proper insight into their strengths and weaknesses, thereby orchestrating the preparation for innovation in the field. The production, origin, and global complexity of MPs were discussed. This study also reveals MPs' mode of transportation, its feedstock polymers, toxicities, detection techniques, and the conventional removal strategies of MPs from contaminated systems. Modification of conventional methods vis-à-vis new materials/techniques and other emerging technologies, such as magnetic extraction and sol-gel technique with detailed mechanistic information for the removal of MPs are presented in this study. Conclusively, some future research outlooks for advancing the MPs removal technologies/materials for practical realization are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayode Adesina Adegoke
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.M.B. 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa.
| | - Folasade Abimbola Adu
- Discipline of Microbiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Abel Kolawole Oyebamiji
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria.
| | - Abayomi Bamisaye
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Rasheed Adewale Adigun
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Fountain University, P. M. B. 4491, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
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36
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Bao M, Xiang X, Huang J, Kong L, Wu J, Cheng S. Microplastics in the Atmosphere and Water Bodies of Coastal Agglomerations: A Mini-Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2466. [PMID: 36767835 PMCID: PMC9915211 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are ubiquitously in various environments from the equator to the poles. Coastal agglomerations act as both a source and sink connecting the global microplastic cycles of oceans and continents. While the problem of microplastics is particularly severe and complex in the coastal zones, where both inland and marine pollution are concentrated, the present study aimed to provide hot topics and trends of coastal urban microplastic studies and to review the researches on microplastic pollution in the atmosphere and water bodies in coastal agglomerations in terms of characteristics, behavior, and health threat of microplastics. The results of the bibliometric analysis showed an increase in the annual output of microplastic research. Research hot topics and clusters were analyzed using the VOSviewer. Characteristics of microplastics varied in abundance, size, and polymer type in different environments and countries. Furthermore, coastal cities are taken as a system to sort out the input, output, and internal transmission pathways of microplastics. The health threat of microplastics to urban residents was briefly reviewed and the exposure and health risks of microplastics to infants and young children were of particular concern. Detailed and comprehensive studies on intervention and reduction in the transmission of microplastics between the atmosphere and water bodies, whether microplastics are harmful to infants and young children, and measures to reduce the risk of microplastic exposure are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengrong Bao
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaoqin Xiang
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jianshi Huang
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lingwei Kong
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Juan Wu
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shuiping Cheng
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
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Narloch I, Gackowska A, Wejnerowska G. Microplastic in the Baltic Sea: A review of distribution processes, sources, analysis methods and regulatory policies. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 315:120453. [PMID: 36272601 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics pollution is an issue of great concern for scientists, governmental bodies, ecological organisations, and the general public. Microplastics pollution is widespread and is a great environmental problem on account of its potential toxicity for marine biota and human health. Today, almost all the world's seas and oceans are polluted with microplastics. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed reservoir of brackish water and is a hotspot for contamination in terms of eutrophication and the presence of organic matter. Microplastics are quite intense, based on data from studies of marine litter and microplastics in the Baltic Sea. The number of microplastics in the Baltic Sea water is 0.07-3300 particles/m3, and in sediments 0-10179 particles/kg. These amounts prove that the waters and sediments of the Baltic Sea are heavily contaminated with microplastics. This article provides a comprehensive review of the microplastic origins and transport routes to the Baltic Sea. The data is presented as the concentration of microplastics in surface waters, sediments, and sea sand. The extraction methods used and the microplastics techniques are also presented. The possibilities and limitations of water and sediment sampling methods for microplastics determination were summarised, taking into account sampling tools, volume and depth. Extraction, separation, filtration, and visual sorting are outlined as sample preparation techniques for microplastic analysis. This review also focuses on the problems of obtaining data relevant to the development of the mathematical models necessary to monitor trends in the spread of microplastics in the Baltic Sea. Finally, several important laws and policies, which are in place in the Baltic States to control and manage microplastic pollution in the region, are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Narloch
- Department of Food Analysis and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 3 Seminaryjna Street, 85-236, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Alicja Gackowska
- Department of Food Analysis and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 3 Seminaryjna Street, 85-236, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
| | - Grażyna Wejnerowska
- Department of Food Analysis and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 3 Seminaryjna Street, 85-236, Bydgoszcz, Poland
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Liu Q, Chen Y, Chen Z, Yang F, Xie Y, Yao W. Current status of microplastics and nanoplastics removal methods: Summary, comparison and prospect. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:157991. [PMID: 35964738 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In modern society, plastics also play an indispensable role in people's lives due to their various excellent properties. However, when these plastic products are discarded after being used, after being subjected to external influences, they will continue to be worn, damaged and degraded into micro- and nano-scale plastics, which are microplastics and nanoplastics (M/NPs). Although people's attention has been paid to M/NPs at present, the focus is still mainly on the detection and hazard of M/NPs, and how to remove M/NPs is relatively less popular. This review was written in order to draw the attention of more researchers to remove M/NPs. This review first briefly introduces the research background of M/NPs, and also shows the main analytical methods currently used for qualitative and quantitative M/NPs. Then, most of the current literature on the removal of M/NPs was collected, and they were classified, summarized, and introduced according to the classification of physical, physicochemical, and biological methods. The advantages and disadvantages of various methods are summarized, and they are also compared, which can help more researchers choose the appropriate method for research. In addition, the application scenarios of these methods are briefly introduced. Finally, some future research directions are proposed for the current research status of M/NPs removal. It is hoped that this will further promote the development on the method of removing M/NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingrun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yulun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fangwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yunfei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Weirong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, No. 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Yi K, Huang J, Li X, Li S, Pang H, Liu Z, Zhang W, Liu S, Liu C, Shu W. Long-term impacts of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics in membrane bioreactor. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 323:116234. [PMID: 36261962 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Due to the mass production and daily use of plastic products, the potential toxicity of microplastics to the water environment has attracted worldwide attention. In this work, the effect of typical microplastics (PET) on the performance of activated sludge from membrane bioreactors (MBR) was evaluated. The impacts on biological removal efficiency were unconspicuous with continuous dosing of 60 particles/L. However, further investigations revealed that PET particle accumulation caused adverse impacts on settleability and dewaterability. The SVI value increased from 53.3 ml/g MLSS to 69.9 ml/g MLSS and the CST in the PET reactor increased by 22%. Nevertheless, hydrophobicity was reduced by 49.2%. Mechanism studies exposed that the PET microplastics accumulation improved extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from 116.96 mg/L to 138.70 mg/L and caused cell membrane damage. The abundance and diversity of microbial community reduced in activated sludge in PET reactor compared with control reactor. These phenomena revealed a possible hypothesis that the microplastic particles increased EPS and cytotoxicity of activated sludge. However, the rate of transmembrane pressure (TMP) build-up was significantly mitigated in PET-MBR compared to that in a control-MBR (1.27 folds), which attributes that physical scour of particles may still alleviate membrane contamination in MBR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Yi
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Jinhui Huang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China.
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, 410003, China.
| | - Suzhou Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Haoliang Pang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Zhexi Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Si Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Chunhua Liu
- Yixin Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., Changsha, 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Wenli Shu
- Wenli Biological Resources Development Co., Ltd., Huaihua, Hunan, 418000, China
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Kruglova A, Muñoz-Palazón B, Gonzalez-Martinez A, Mikola A, Vahala R, Talvitie J. The dangerous transporters: A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 314:120316. [PMID: 36191797 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) provide a stable and protective habitat for diverse wastewater bacteria, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant species. Therefore, MPs may potentially transport these bacteria through wastewater treatment steps to the environment and far distances. This study investigated bacterial communities of MP-associated bacteria from different stages of municipal wastewater treatment processes to evaluate the potential negative effect of these biofilms on the environment. The results showed a high diversity of bacteria that were strongly attached to MPs. After all treatment steps, the core bacterial groups remained attached to MPs and escaped from the wastewater treatment plant with effluent water. Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in MP samples from all treatment steps, and most of them were found in effluent water. These data provide new insights into the possible impacts of wastewater-derived MPs on the environment. MP-associated biofilms were proved to be important sources of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in natural waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina Kruglova
- Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland.
| | - Barbara Muñoz-Palazón
- Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de la Cartuja C.P., 18071, Granada, Spain; Dipartimento di Ecologia e Biologia, Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo Università snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de la Cartuja C.P., 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Anna Mikola
- Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland
| | - Riku Vahala
- Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland
| | - Julia Talvitie
- Marine Research Center, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), P.O.Box 140, FI-00251, Helsinki, Finland
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Nguyen MK, Hadi M, Lin C, Nguyen HL, Thai VB, Hoang HG, Vo DVN, Tran HT. Microplastics in sewage sludge: Distribution, toxicity, identification methods, and engineered technologies. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136455. [PMID: 36116626 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is becoming a global challenge due to its long-term accumulation in the environment, causing adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem. Sludge discharged from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) plays a critical role as a carrier and primary source of environmental microplastic contamination. A significantly average microplastic variation between 1000 and 301,400 particles kg-1 has been reported in the sludge samples. In recent years, advanced technologies have been successfully applied to address this issue, including adsorption, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), and membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Adsorption technologies are essential to utilizing novel adsorbents (e.g., biochar, graphene, zeolites) for effectively removing MPs. Especially, the removal efficiency of polymer microspheres from an aqueous solution by Mg/Zn modified magnetic biochars (Mg/Zn-MBC) was obtained at more than 95%. Also, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are widely applied to degrade microplastic contaminants, in which photocatalytic by semiconductors (e.g., TiO2 and ZnO) is a highly suitable approach to promote the degradation reactions owing to strongly hydroxyl radicals (OH*). Biological degradation-aided microorganisms (e.g., bacterial and fungal strains) have been reported to be suitable for removing microplastics. Yet, it was affected by biotic and abiotic factors of the environmental conditions (e.g., pH, light, temperature, moisture, bio-surfactants, microorganisms, enzymes) as well as their polymer characteristics, i.e., molecular weight, functional groups, and crystallinity. Notably, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) showed the highest efficiency in removing up to 99% microplastic particles and minimizing their contamination in sewage sludge. Further, MBRs illustrate the suitability for treating high-strength compounds, e.g., polymer debris and microplastic fibers from complex industrial wastewater. Finally, this study provided a comprehensive understanding of potential adverse risks, transportation pathways, and removal mechanisms of microplastic, which full-filled the knowledge gaps in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh Ky Nguyen
- Ph.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan; Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet Nam
| | - Mohammed Hadi
- Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
| | - Chitsan Lin
- Ph.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan; Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 81157, Taiwan.
| | - Hoang-Lam Nguyen
- Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Vu-Binh Thai
- Institute for Environment and Resource, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, 700000, Viet Nam
| | - Hong-Giang Hoang
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Finance - Accounting, Dong Nai Technology University, Bien Hoa, Dong Nai, 76100, Viet Nam
| | - Dai-Viet N Vo
- Center of Excellence for Green Energy and Environmental Nanomaterials (CE@GrEEN), Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet Nam
| | - Huu-Tuan Tran
- Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Management, Science and Technology Advanced Institute, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Faculty of Applied Technology, School of Engineering and Technology, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet Nam.
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Tadsuwan K, Babel S. Unraveling microplastics removal in wastewater treatment plant: A comparative study of two wastewater treatment plants in Thailand. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:135733. [PMID: 35870611 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered as a problematic pathway for microplastics (MPs) entering the oceans. This study compares the efficiency of MP removal in two different WWTPs (A1 and A2) with a conventional treatment system located in Bangkok, Thailand. WWTP-A2 is equipped with a pilot-scale ultrafiltration (UF) as a final polishing step. The number of MPs in the influent entering A1 and A2 was 16.55 ± 9.92 and 77.00 ± 7.21 MP/L, respectively. The average of 3.52 ± 1.43 and 10.67 ± 3.51 particles per L was found in the effluent discharged from A1 and A2, respectively, to nearby canals. The removal efficiency of WWTP-A2 built as a closed underground system was shown to be up to 86.14% which is more efficient than the conventional WWTP (A1). MPs were subsequently removed by a UF unit which resulted in a removal efficiency of 96.97%. However, when a large volume of treated wastewater volume is considered, a high concentration of MPs is discharged daily with the final effluent if the efficiency remains the same. The size fraction of 0.5-0.05 mm contributed to the largest proportion of MPs, and fibers were detected as the dominant group at both study sites. Results from a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed that most fibers were polyethylene terephthalate (PET) derived from clothes. MPs retained in the sludge ranged from 2.63 × 104 to 4.74 × 104 particles per kilogram of dry sludge. A significant number of MPs can spread further to the environment by soil application. The results of the study indicate that the design of WWTPs and the addition of advanced tertiary treatment can improve MP removal efficiency of a WWTP. Moreover, the absence of a primary sedimentation tank in both treatment plants may influence the removal efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katekanya Tadsuwan
- School of Bio-chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, 99 Moo 18, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand
| | - Sandhya Babel
- School of Bio-chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, 99 Moo 18, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand.
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Lee SY, An J, Kim J, Kwon JH. Enhanced settling of microplastics after biofilm development: A laboratory column study mimicking wastewater clarifiers. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 311:119909. [PMID: 35970352 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The settling of microplastics (MPs) is crucial for their removal from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and sedimentation in static waterbodies, where they can accumulate in bottom sediments. Biofilm formation on MPs enhances their aggregation with other particles, thereby changing their density and size and altering their settling rates. However, only a few studies have investigated the settling of MPs of different sizes and materials. Specifically, the settling of small-sized MPs (<150 μm) has been poorly documented. In this study, cylindrical and fragmented particles of four polymer types (high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)) were used to investigate the settling or floating of reference MPs (20-130 μm) in a custom-made column that simulated a primary sedimentation tank in a typical WWTP before and after incubation in wastewater influent. The settling velocity of the reference MP particles was strongly influenced by the particle size and density. The settled fractions of all the cylindrical reference MPs increased significantly (up to 5 times) due to biofilm formation at overflow velocities of 0.15, 0.26, and 0.40 mm s-1. This was observed even for HDPE and PP (density <1 g cm-3) after biofilm formation. The fragmented reference MPs showed complex and rather unpredictable behavior, possibly due to their irregular shape. Generally, the settling of pristine PS and PET in the laboratory tests was consistent with the theoretical predictions obtained using Stokes' law. The experimental findings of this study can be used to develop models that predict the removal efficiencies of MPs in WWTPs and to estimate the sinking of MPs to bottom sediments of static waterbodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Young Lee
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyul An
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinwoo Kim
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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Mohammadi A, Malakootian M, Dobaradaran S, Hashemi M, Jaafarzadeh N. Occurrence, seasonal distribution, and ecological risk assessment of microplastics and phthalate esters in leachates of a landfill site located near the marine environment: Bushehr port, Iran as a case. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 842:156838. [PMID: 35750192 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic wastes are produced in a large amount everywhere, and are commonly disposed in landfills. So landfill leachate seems an obvious source of microplastics (MPs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) due to a huge usage as plastic additives and plasticizers. But this issue still lacks attention and the present study provides the first information on the levels of MPs and PAEs in the fresh landfill leachate of Bushehr port during different seasons. The mean levels of MPs and PAEs in the fresh leachate in all seasons were 79.16 items/L and 3.27 mg/L, respectively. Also, the mean levels of PAEs in MPs were 48.33 μg/g. A statistically significant difference was detected in the levels of MPs and PAEs among different seasons with the highest values in summer and fall. MPs with a size of >1000 μm had the highest abundance in all seasons. The most prominent shape, color, and type of MPs in the leachate were fibers black, and nylon, respectively. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the most dominant PAEs present in the leachate samples. The results of this study revealed high hazard index (HI) and pollution load index (PLI) of MPs in all seasons. Dioctyl phthalate (DOP), DEHP, DBP, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and diethyl phthalate (DEP) represented a high risk to the sensitive organisms. The results of this study showed that significant levels of MPs and PAEs may release into the surrounding environment from the landfill sites without sufficient protection. This issue is more critical when the landfill sites in particular are located near the marine environments like the Bushehr landfill that is located near the Persian Gulf, which can lead to serious environmental problems. Thus permanent control and monitor of landfills, especially in the coastal areas are highly needed to prevent further pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azam Mohammadi
- Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Malakootian
- Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Sina Dobaradaran
- Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry and Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Majid Hashemi
- Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Neemat Jaafarzadeh
- Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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Setälä O, Tirroniemi J, Lehtiniemi M. Testing citizen science as a tool for monitoring surface water microplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:851. [PMID: 36201051 PMCID: PMC9537197 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10487-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The use of citizen science in the collection of surface water marine microplastics (MP) samples with manta trawl was tested in the Baltic Sea, where the collection of surface water samples is often hampered by environmental conditions. Sampling was carried out at 7 locations around the Baltic Sea with a custom-made manta trawl which was operated onboard a sailing boat. The total concentrations of ≥ 0.3 mm MP in the samples ranged from 0.45 to 1.98 MP m-3. Based on the results and experiences from this study, citizen science could be introduced into the toolbox of monitoring large MP. When the common basic constraints of surface water sampling within a regional sea are defined and agreed upon, citizen science could be used for strengthening the power of assessments on the state of the marine environment by increasing the spatial coverage of the monitored area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Outi Setälä
- Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Jyri Tirroniemi
- Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maiju Lehtiniemi
- Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
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46
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John KI, Omorogie MO, Bayode AA, Adeleye AT, Helmreich B. Environmental microplastics and their additives—a critical review on advanced oxidative techniques for their removal. CHEMICAL PAPERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11696-022-02505-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Belzagui F, Gutiérrez-Bouzán C. Review on alternatives for the reduction of textile microfibers emission to water. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 317:115347. [PMID: 35642816 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The microplastics (MPs) are considered one of the most threatening pollutants. One of the main concerns is their continuous and cumulative flow to water environments, as they are very difficult to be removed. Microfibers (MFs) are a significant type of MPs, with textile articles as one of the most renowned sources. This review aims to provide the current status of these MFs as pollutants, discussing possible alternatives from the manufacturing until the final disposition of MFs. There are many alternatives to reduce these pollutants from reaching the environment but also gaps that need to be further evaluated and addressed. Besides, it should be noticed that alternatives could be complementary between them. Some viable and non-contaminating solutions to reduce this pollution are currently on the market. Also, one relevant aspect is the final disposition or usage of the retained MFs to avoid them from reaching aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Belzagui
- Institut d'Investigació Tèxtil i Cooperació Industrial de Terrassa (INTEXTER), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Colom 15, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Carmen Gutiérrez-Bouzán
- Institut d'Investigació Tèxtil i Cooperació Industrial de Terrassa (INTEXTER), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Colom 15, Terrassa, Spain.
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48
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Yaseen A, Assad I, Sofi MS, Hashmi MZ, Bhat SU. A global review of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: Understanding their occurrence, fate and impact. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113258. [PMID: 35430276 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging as a serious environmental concern, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) acting as the main entry routes for MPs into aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. On a global scale, our literature review found that MP research in WWTPs has only been conducted on 121 WWTPs in 17 countries, with the majority of the work being done in Europe (53%), followed by the United States of America and Canada (24%), Asia (18%), and Australia (5%) in recent years. MPs in WWTPs are primarily derived from Personal Care and Cosmetic Products (PCCPs), which are primarily composed of polyethylene (PE) derivatives. Based on the studies, microfibers (57%) and fragments (47%) are observed to be the most common MP forms in influents and effluents of WWTPs. The chemical characterization of MPs detected in WWTPs, showed the occurrence of polyethylene (PE) (22%), polystyrene (PS) (21%), and polypropylene (13%). Although MP retention/removal efficiencies of different treatment technologies vary from medium to high, deliberations on sludge disposal on agricultural soils containing MPs and MP intrusion into groundwater are required to sustainably regulate MP contaminant transport. Thus, the development of efficient detection methods and understanding their fate are of immense significance for the management of MPs. Despite the fact that ongoing research in MPs and WWTPs has unquestionably improved our understanding, many questions and concerns remain unanswered. In this review, the current status of the detection, occurrence, and impact of MPs in WWTPs across the world are systematically reviewed to prioritize policy-making to recognize the WWTPs as global conduits of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarif Yaseen
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Irfana Assad
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Mohd Sharjeel Sofi
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, 190006, India
| | | | - Sami Ullah Bhat
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, 190006, India.
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Mao T, Lu Y, Ma H, Pan Z, Zhang R, Zhu T, Yang Y, Han C, Yang J. Variations in the life-cycle parameters and population growth of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis under the stress of microplastics and 17β-estradiol. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 835:155390. [PMID: 35461934 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The toxic effects of microplastics (MPs) on biota are related to their particle size. In addition, MPs could adsorb ambient pollutants in water, which increase the threat of MPs to organisms. In this study, the effects of different particle sizes and concentrations of MPs on the life-cycle parameters and population growth of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were investigated, and the combined effects of MPs and 17β-estradiol (E2) on rotifers were studied. Results showed small particle size (50 nm) MPs had negative effects on the lifespan, time to first batch of eggs, fecundity, and population growth rate of rotifers, which were dose-dependent, but large (100 nm and 500 nm) MPs were not. In addition, both life-cycle parameters and the population growth of rotifers were not affected by E2. However, the combination effects of different particle sizes of MPs and E2 on the lifespan, reproductive period, offspring per female, and population growth of rotifers were significant. Therefore, rotifers were more vulnerable to smaller particle MPs, and the coexistence of MPs and other environmental pollutants posed a serious threat to rotifers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyue Mao
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Yurong Lu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Huijuan Ma
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Zihan Pan
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Zhang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian Zhu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunhong Yang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Cui Han
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaxin Yang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, No. 2 Xuelin Rd, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China.
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50
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Elimination of Microplastics at Different Stages in Wastewater Treatment Plants. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14152404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has been widely studied as a global issue due to increased plastic usage and its effect on human and aquatic life. Microplastics originate from domestic and industrial activities. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in removing a significant amount of microplastics; otherwise, they end up in bioaccumulation. This study provides knowledge about the characteristics of microplastics, removal efficiency, and the correlation between wastewater quality and microplastic concentrations from three different WWTPs that differ in the type of biological and advanced wastewater treatment techniques that are believed to play an important role in microplastic removal. Microplastics of different types, such as fragments, fibers, and beads, are identified by using an optical microscope before and after the treatment process at each stage to assess the effect of different treatment techniques. In the screening unit and primary clarifier unit, WWTP-B shows the highest removal efficiency with 74.76% due to a distribution flow system installed before the primary clarifier to ensure a constant flow of wastewater. WWTP-B uses a bioreactor consisting of a filter plate coated with activated carbon (BSTS II) that can enhance the adaptability and adhesion of microorganisms and showed that 91.04% of the microplastic was removed. Furthermore, only WWTP-A and WWTP-B were applied coagulation, followed by the disc filter; they showed significant results in microplastic removal, compared to WWTP-C, which only used a disc filter. In conclusion, from all WWTP, WWTP-B shows good treatment series for removing microplastic in wastewater; however, WWTP-B showed a high rate of microplastic removal; unfortunately, large amounts of microplastics are still released into rivers.
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