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MICROPLASTICS IN LANDFILL LEACHATES IN THREE NORDIC COUNTRIES

van Praagh, Martijn LU and Liebmann, Bettina (2021) In Detritus 17. p.58-70
Abstract

We investigated the occurrence of microplastics (size range 5,000-50 µm) in leach-ates at 11 landfills of different age and operational status in Finland, Iceland and Nor-way. Collective sampling was carried out by pumping leachate with a stainless-steel submergible pump through a custom-made, stainless-steel filter unit containing filter plates with decreasing pore sizes (5,000, 417 and 47 µm, respectively). Samples were pre-treated and split into particles size classes above 500 μm and above 50 μm, and screened for occurrence of microplastics made of PE, PP, PVC, PS, PET, PA, PU, PC, PMMA, POM, SBR (rubber) or PMB (polymer modified bitumen). Samples were analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy, both to identify and to count microplastic... (More)

We investigated the occurrence of microplastics (size range 5,000-50 µm) in leach-ates at 11 landfills of different age and operational status in Finland, Iceland and Nor-way. Collective sampling was carried out by pumping leachate with a stainless-steel submergible pump through a custom-made, stainless-steel filter unit containing filter plates with decreasing pore sizes (5,000, 417 and 47 µm, respectively). Samples were pre-treated and split into particles size classes above 500 μm and above 50 μm, and screened for occurrence of microplastics made of PE, PP, PVC, PS, PET, PA, PU, PC, PMMA, POM, SBR (rubber) or PMB (polymer modified bitumen). Samples were analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy, both to identify and to count microplastic particles (SBR and PMB were merely identified). Most samples tested positive for multiple mi-croplastics. Three leachates, including drinking water (blank), tested positive for SBR particles and/or PMB only. Treated leachate samples exhibited lower total micro-plastic’s counts than untreated, up to several orders of magnitude. National waste management practices over time, landfill age or operational status do not seem to explain differences in microplastic abundance or counts between leachates. Parti-cle count and calculated loads of microplastic emissions through leachates differed several orders of magnitude between landfills. Results indicate that landfill leachates might be a relatively small source of microplastics (>50 µm) to surface waters com-pared to untreated and treated sewage or road runoff. Continued data acquisition, improved sample preparation and understanding of variability of microplastics in landfill leachate are necessary, including particles smaller than 50 µm.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Analysis, FT-IR, Landfill leachate, Leachate treatment, Microplastics, Nordics
in
Detritus
volume
17
pages
13 pages
publisher
IWWG - International Waste Working Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85124774206
ISSN
2611-4127
DOI
10.31025/2611-4135/2021.15149
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2fd9f073-2ea8-4a97-8552-35f16201cf52
date added to LUP
2022-05-20 11:03:23
date last changed
2022-05-20 11:03:23
@article{2fd9f073-2ea8-4a97-8552-35f16201cf52,
  abstract     = {{<p>We investigated the occurrence of microplastics (size range 5,000-50 µm) in leach-ates at 11 landfills of different age and operational status in Finland, Iceland and Nor-way. Collective sampling was carried out by pumping leachate with a stainless-steel submergible pump through a custom-made, stainless-steel filter unit containing filter plates with decreasing pore sizes (5,000, 417 and 47 µm, respectively). Samples were pre-treated and split into particles size classes above 500 μm and above 50 μm, and screened for occurrence of microplastics made of PE, PP, PVC, PS, PET, PA, PU, PC, PMMA, POM, SBR (rubber) or PMB (polymer modified bitumen). Samples were analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy, both to identify and to count microplastic particles (SBR and PMB were merely identified). Most samples tested positive for multiple mi-croplastics. Three leachates, including drinking water (blank), tested positive for SBR particles and/or PMB only. Treated leachate samples exhibited lower total micro-plastic’s counts than untreated, up to several orders of magnitude. National waste management practices over time, landfill age or operational status do not seem to explain differences in microplastic abundance or counts between leachates. Parti-cle count and calculated loads of microplastic emissions through leachates differed several orders of magnitude between landfills. Results indicate that landfill leachates might be a relatively small source of microplastics (&gt;50 µm) to surface waters com-pared to untreated and treated sewage or road runoff. Continued data acquisition, improved sample preparation and understanding of variability of microplastics in landfill leachate are necessary, including particles smaller than 50 µm.</p>}},
  author       = {{van Praagh, Martijn and Liebmann, Bettina}},
  issn         = {{2611-4127}},
  keywords     = {{Analysis; FT-IR; Landfill leachate; Leachate treatment; Microplastics; Nordics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  pages        = {{58--70}},
  publisher    = {{IWWG - International Waste Working Group}},
  series       = {{Detritus}},
  title        = {{MICROPLASTICS IN LANDFILL LEACHATES IN THREE NORDIC COUNTRIES}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.31025/2611-4135/2021.15149}},
  doi          = {{10.31025/2611-4135/2021.15149}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}