Wastewater treatment plants effectively remove microplastics from wastewater and concentrate them in sewage sludge which is often used to fertilise agricultural fields. Microplastics can have a negative impact on soil biota by increasing mortality rate and reducing growth and reproduction rates of soil life. Application of sewage sludge causes increased presence of microplastics in agricultural soils. Kindly suggest practical feasible and economical viable technologies to remove microplastic from the sewage sudge.
I would suggest the paper by Mahon et al. (2017), where anaerobic digestion (AD), thermal drying (TD) and lime stabilization (LS) treatment processes are investigated to determine how they influence over the resulting MP concentration and characteristics in sewage sludge.
Check it here: Article Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: Effects of Treatment
Dear Mehar chand,
If waste water treatment plants could effectively remove microplastics, then we would not have these in our freshwater bodies/rivers.
Microplastic is effectively removed by treatment plant and concentrate them in sewage sludge. Microplastic is now reaching in agricultural fields through sludge and it is polluting the most valuable natural resource.
Hi, this paper may help:
Löder M.G.J., Imhof H.K., Ladehoff M., Löschel L.A., Lorenz C., Mintenig S., Piehl S., Primpke S., Schrank I., Laforsch C. & Gerdts G. 2017. Enzymatic Purification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples. Environmental science & technology 51: 14283-14292, doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b03055.
Thanks Benjamin Asamoah and Hampton Gaddy for sharing the valuable information.
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