Wastewater treatment plant as microplastics release source – Quantification and identification techniques

Alvim, C. Bretas; Mendoza–Roca, J.A.; Bes-Piá, A.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109739

Cited by 117 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Same approach was followed by Ngo et al [69] in a very comprehensive analysis of the literature on MPs in WWTPs, addressing also the sources and pathways to the plants. In Sun et al [67], it was instead deeply analyzed the MPs analytical protocols (updated later on by Bretas-Alvim et al [74]) as well as the characteristics of MPs in wastewaters and their fate in WWTPs. Sludge was explicitly targeted by Lusher et al [75] and Rolsky et al [76].…”

Section: Microplastics Presence and Fate In Wastewater Treatment Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Presence and fate of microplastics in the water sources: focus on the role of wastewater and drinking water treatment plants

Barchiesi

Chiavola

Marcantonio

et al. 2021

Journal of Water Process Engineering

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Microplastics are nowadays considered as ubiquitous pollutants since have been found widespread in all environmental compartments, particularly in the water sources. In the urban water cycle, the drinking water treatment plants and the wastewater treatment plants are the first and last barriers to microplastics pollution, respectively. The present work aims at presenting the information available on microplastic presence in the urban water cycle, reporting and linking what is known at the different stages. Focus is on the water sources and on the role of the water treatment plants as source and control of microplastics pollution. Aspects evaluated are microplastics abundance, characterization in terms of morphology, size and polymer composition, spatial and temporal variations, factors influencing their distribution and abundance, effects of treatments on their removal. Up to now there is no common framework for microplastics collection, sample pre-treatment, identification, quantification and classification. Data comparison is hindered due to the various analytical protocols implemented; hence the conclusions driven are mostly indicative or of very local significance. The available information is not evenly distributed among the urban water cycle components. For the establishment of proper microplastics pollution control strategies, the relative role of wastewater and drinking water treatment plants needs to be better deepened in terms of both quantity and quality effects. All these aspects are afforded in the present review which is based on the more recent data published by the specialized literature.

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Section: Microplastics Presence and Fate In Wastewater Treatment Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Presence and fate of microplastics in the water sources: focus on the role of wastewater and drinking water treatment plants

Barchiesi

Chiavola

Marcantonio

et al. 2021

Journal of Water Process Engineering

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“…The system of waste management is relatively sophisticated in European countries, but there is still a high amount of produced waste, thus the likelihood of litter input into the marine environment is increasing (Andreasi Bassi et al, 2017). Another source of microplastic particles, and in particular of fibres which originate from washed clothes are waste water treatment plants (WWTP) (Browne et al, 2011;Bretas Alvim et al, 2020). Moreover, it is well known that WWTP are not able to hold back microplastic fibres and particles (Dubaish and Liebezeit, 2013;Mani et al, 2016).…”

Section: Polymer Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Evidence of Retrospective Findings of Microplastics in Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) From German Waters

et al. 2021

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Microplastic ingestion by lower trophic level organisms is well known, whereas information on microplastic ingestion, egestion and accumulation by top predators such as cetaceans is still lacking. This study investigates microplastics in intestinal samples from harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) found along the coastline of Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) between 2014 and 2018. Out of 30 individuals found along the North Sea (NS) and the Baltic Sea (BS) coast, 28 specimens contained microplastic. This study found a relationship between the nutritional status of cetaceans and the amount of found microplastics. Harbour porpoises with a good or moderate nutritional status contained a higher number of microplastics, when compared with specimens in a poor nutritional status. In addition, when individuals died accidently due to suspected bycatch in gillnets, where a feeding event is highly assumed or a pharyngeal entrapment happened, the microplastic burden was higher. In total, 401 microplastics (≥100 μm), including 202 fibres and 199 fragments were found. Intestines of the specimens of the BS contained more microplastics than the ones from the NS. Differences in the share of fibres could be revealed: for BS fibres constituted 51.44% and for NS, fibres constituted 47.97%. The polymers polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, acrylic (with nitrile component) and an acrylic/alkyd paint chip (with styrene and kaolin components) were identified. This is the first study investigating the occurrence of microplastics in harbour porpoises from German waters and will, thus, provide valuable information on the actual burden of microplastics in cetaceans from the North and Baltic Seas.

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“…Nets with different mesh sizes are generally used for sampling plastics in river systems, but there is no standardised procedure for measuring and quantifying microplastics. A call for standardization of microplastics particle size in research was made by Frias and Nash (2019) [23] and their call was echoed by a number of researchers who have argued that standardization is required for sampling, processing and quantification of microplastics [24,25]. Koelmans et al (2019) [24] consider the limitation of mesh size used for sampling and reporting microplastics sizes.…”

Section: Measuring Microplastics In Riversmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Koelmans et al (2019) [24] consider the limitation of mesh size used for sampling and reporting microplastics sizes. For example, the most common net mesh size used for microplastics research is 300-330 µm [4,12,17,25] omitting microplastics size below 300 µm which may be under-represented. The continued use of this mesh size may be attributed to availability and researcher habit, but there are, however, commercial plankton net mesh sizes available for a broad size range (1-2000 µm), e.g., Duncan and associates in the UK provide 10-1000 µm mesh sizes (http://www.duncanandassociates.co.uk, accessed 15 May 2020); while 1-2000 µm is the size range from KC Denmark (http: //www.kc-denmark.dk/products/plankton-nets.aspx accessed 15 May 2020).…”

Section: Measuring Microplastics In Riversmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling Microplastics in the River Thames: Sources, Sinks and Policy Implications

Whitehead

Bussi

Hughes

et al. 2021

Water

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With widespread, long-term historical use of plastics and the presence of microplastics in a range of new and existing products, there is rising concern about their potential impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Understanding how microplastics are transported and distributed along river systems is key to assessing impacts. Modelling the main flow dynamics, mixing, sedimentation and resuspension processes is essential for an understanding of the transport processes. We use the new, processed based, dynamic, integrated catchments (INCA) microplastics model and apply this to the whole of the freshwater catchment of the River Thames, UK, to evaluate inputs, loads and concentrations along the river system. Recent data from UK water industry studies on microplastics in effluent discharges and sewage sludge disposal has been utilised to drive the INCA microplastics model. Predicted concentrations and microplastic loads moving along the river system are shown to be significant, with a build-up of concentrations along the river, with increasing deposition on the riverbed. The potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems are evaluated and a review of policy implications is explored.

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Wastewater treatment plant as microplastics release source – Quantification and identification techniques

Cited by 117 publications

References 83 publications

Presence and fate of microplastics in the water sources: focus on the role of wastewater and drinking water treatment plants

Presence and fate of microplastics in the water sources: focus on the role of wastewater and drinking water treatment plants

First Evidence of Retrospective Findings of Microplastics in Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) From German Waters

Modelling Microplastics in the River Thames: Sources, Sinks and Policy Implications

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