Rupa Chand, Lucian Iordachescu, Frida Bäckbom, Angelica Andreasson, Cecilia Bertholds, Emelie Pollack, Marziye Molazadeh, Claudia Lorenz, Asbjørn Haaning Nielsen, Jes Vollertsen
Retention of microplastics (MPs) at the third largest wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Sweden was investigated. The plant is one of the most modern and advanced of its kind, with rapid sand filter for tertiary treatment in combination with mechanical, biological, and chemical treatment. It achieved a significantly high treatment efficiency, which brought the MP concentration in its discharge on par with concentrations measured in marine waters of the same region. This novel data shows that properly designed modern WWTPs can reduce the MP content of sewage down to background levels measured in the receiving aquatic environment...
April 19, 2024: Water Research