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Distribution, characteristics and daily fluctuations of microplastics throughout wastewater treatment plants with mixed domestic—industrial influents in Wuxi City, China

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Abstract

In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), microplastics (MPs) are complex, especially with mixed domestic-industrial influents. Conventional random grab sampling can roughly depict the distribution and characteristics of MPs but can not accurately reflect their daily fluctuations. In this study, the concentration, shape, polymer type, size, and color of MPs were analyzed by micro-Raman spectroscopy (detection limit of 0.05 mm) throughout treatment stages of three mixed domestic-industrial WWTPs (W1, W2, and W3) in Wuxi City, China, and the daily fluctuations of MPs were also obtained by dense grab sampling within 24 h. For influent samples, the average MP concentration of 392.2 items/L in W1 with 10% industrial wastewater was much higher than those in W2 (71.2 items/L with 10% industrial wastewater) and W3 (38.3 items/L with 60% industrial wastewater). White polyethylene granules with a diameter less than 0.5 mm from plastic manufacturing were the most dominant MPs in the influent of W1, proving the key role of industrial sources in MPs pollution. In addition, the daily dense sampling results showed that MP concentration in W1 influent fluctuated widely between 29.1 items/L and 4617.6 items/L within a day. Finally, few MPs (less than 4.0 items/L) in these WWTPs effluents were attributed to the effective removal of wastewater treatment processes. Thus, further attention should be paid to regulating the primary sources of MPs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (China) (No. 2017ZX07302-001) and the Research Program for In-depth Treatment Technology Upgradation of the Wuxi Urban Sewage Treatment Plant (China) (N20191003). The authors also gratefully acknowledge the support of the Pre-research Fund of Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment (China) (No. XTCXSZ2020-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Wei Shan, Bingbing Li, Haichuan Zhang, Zhenghao Zhang, Yan Wang & Ji Li

  2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Ji Li

  3. Jiangsu College of Water Treatment Technology and Material Collaborative Innovation Centre, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Ji Li

  4. Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Energy and Carbon Reduction Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Ji Li

  5. Wuxi Puhui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Wuxi, 214122, China

    Yan Wang

  6. Wuxi Hi-Tech Water Co., Ltd., Wuxi, 214028, China

    Zhiyang Gao

Authors
  1. Wei Shan
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  2. Bingbing Li
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  3. Haichuan Zhang
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  4. Zhenghao Zhang
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  5. Yan Wang
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  6. Zhiyang Gao
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  7. Ji Li
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Bingbing Li or Ji Li.

Additional information

Highlights

• MPs were analyzed throughout three WWTPs with mixed domestic — industrial influents.

• White polyethylene granules from plastic manufacturing were the most dominant MPs.

• MPs abundance in random grab-sampling was lower than that in daily dense sampling.

• The production of MPs such as microbeads need to be restricted from the source.

Supplementary Information

11783_2021_1440_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Distribution, characteristics and daily fluctuations of microplastics throughout wastewater treatment plants with mixed domestic—industrial influents in Wuxi City, China

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Shan, W., Li, B., Zhang, H. et al. Distribution, characteristics and daily fluctuations of microplastics throughout wastewater treatment plants with mixed domestic—industrial influents in Wuxi City, China. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 16, 6 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-021-1440-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-021-1440-4

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