Insights on Microplastic Contamination from Municipal and Textile Industry Effluents and Their Removal Using a Cellulose-Based Approach
(2024) In Polymers 16(19).- Abstract
The rampant use of plastics, with the potential to degrade into insidious microplastics (MPs), poses a significant threat by contaminating aquatic environments. In the present study, we delved into the analysis of effluents from textile industries, a recognized major source of MPs contamination. Data were further discussed and compared with a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. All effluent samples were collected at the final stage of treatment in their respective WWTP. Laser diffraction spectroscopy was used to evaluate MP dimensions, while optical and fluorescence microscopies were used for morphology analysis and the identification of predominant plastic types, respectively. Electrophoresis was employed to unravel... (More)
The rampant use of plastics, with the potential to degrade into insidious microplastics (MPs), poses a significant threat by contaminating aquatic environments. In the present study, we delved into the analysis of effluents from textile industries, a recognized major source of MPs contamination. Data were further discussed and compared with a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. All effluent samples were collected at the final stage of treatment in their respective WWTP. Laser diffraction spectroscopy was used to evaluate MP dimensions, while optical and fluorescence microscopies were used for morphology analysis and the identification of predominant plastic types, respectively. Electrophoresis was employed to unravel the prevalence of negative surface charge on these plastic microparticles. The analysis revealed that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide were the dominant compounds in textile effluents, with PET being predominant in municipal WWTP effluents. Surprisingly, despite the municipal WWTP exhibiting higher efficiency in MP removal (ca. 71% compared to ca. 55% in textile industries), it contributed more to overall pollution. A novel bio-based flocculant, a cationic cellulose derivative derived from wood wastes, was developed as a proof-of-concept for MP flocculation. The novel derivatives were found to efficiently flocculate PET MPs, thus allowing their facile removal from aqueous media, and reducing the threat of MP contamination from effluents discharged from WWTPs.
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- author
- Magalhães, Solange ; Paciência, Daniel ; Rodrigues, João M.M. ; Lindman, Björn LU ; Alves, Luís ; Medronho, Bruno LU and Rasteiro, Maria da Graça
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-10
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- microplastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), textile and municipal effluents, wastewater treatment plant
- in
- Polymers
- volume
- 16
- issue
- 19
- article number
- 2803
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85206497325
- pmid:39408517
- ISSN
- 2073-4360
- DOI
- 10.3390/polym16192803
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.
- id
- 51598012-1012-48a6-a545-bbc14a596093
- date added to LUP
- 2024-12-18 11:43:17
- date last changed
- 2025-07-17 04:44:42
@article{51598012-1012-48a6-a545-bbc14a596093, abstract = {{<p>The rampant use of plastics, with the potential to degrade into insidious microplastics (MPs), poses a significant threat by contaminating aquatic environments. In the present study, we delved into the analysis of effluents from textile industries, a recognized major source of MPs contamination. Data were further discussed and compared with a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. All effluent samples were collected at the final stage of treatment in their respective WWTP. Laser diffraction spectroscopy was used to evaluate MP dimensions, while optical and fluorescence microscopies were used for morphology analysis and the identification of predominant plastic types, respectively. Electrophoresis was employed to unravel the prevalence of negative surface charge on these plastic microparticles. The analysis revealed that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide were the dominant compounds in textile effluents, with PET being predominant in municipal WWTP effluents. Surprisingly, despite the municipal WWTP exhibiting higher efficiency in MP removal (ca. 71% compared to ca. 55% in textile industries), it contributed more to overall pollution. A novel bio-based flocculant, a cationic cellulose derivative derived from wood wastes, was developed as a proof-of-concept for MP flocculation. The novel derivatives were found to efficiently flocculate PET MPs, thus allowing their facile removal from aqueous media, and reducing the threat of MP contamination from effluents discharged from WWTPs.</p>}}, author = {{Magalhães, Solange and Paciência, Daniel and Rodrigues, João M.M. and Lindman, Björn and Alves, Luís and Medronho, Bruno and Rasteiro, Maria da Graça}}, issn = {{2073-4360}}, keywords = {{microplastics; polyethylene terephthalate (PET); textile and municipal effluents; wastewater treatment plant}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{19}}, publisher = {{MDPI AG}}, series = {{Polymers}}, title = {{Insights on Microplastic Contamination from Municipal and Textile Industry Effluents and Their Removal Using a Cellulose-Based Approach}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym16192803}}, doi = {{10.3390/polym16192803}}, volume = {{16}}, year = {{2024}}, }