Your search found 26 records
1 Glavan, M. (Ed.) 2018. Water challenges of an urbanizing world. London, UK: IntechOpen Limited. 182p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.68339]
Water management ; Urbanization ; Water supply ; Drinking water ; Water pollution ; Water quality control ; Biological contamination ; Chemical contamination ; Microplastics ; Waste water treatment plants ; Waterborne diseases ; Infectious diseases ; Legionnaires' disease ; Sustainable development ; Integrated management ; Water resources ; Urban development ; Satellite imagery ; Climate change ; Flooding ; Air temperature ; Strategies ; Constraints ; Case studies / USA / Mexico / China / Gansu / Puget Sound / Elliott Bay / Seattle Aquarium / Western Longhai-Lanxin Economic Zone / High Plains
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049035)
https://www.intechopen.com/books/water-challenges-of-an-urbanizing-world
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049035_TOC.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049035_TOC.pdf
(0.44 MB)
Global water crisis is a challenge to the security, political stability and environmental sustainability of developing nations and with climate, economically and politically, induces migrations also for the developed ones. Currently, the urban population is 54% with prospects that by the end of 2050 and 2100 66% and 80%, respectively, of the world's population will live in urban environment. Untreated water abstracted from polluted resources and destructed ecosystems as well as discharge of untreated waste water is the cause of health problems and death for millions around the globe. Competition for water is wide among agriculture, industry, power companies and recreational tourism as well as nature habitats. Climate changes are a major threat to the water resources. This book intends to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in integrated assessment of water resource management in the urbanizing world, which is a foundation to develop society with secure water availability, food market stability and ecosystem preservation.
2 Li, J.; Liu, H.; Chen, J. P. 2018. Microplastics in freshwater systems: a review on occurrence, environmental effects, and methods for microplastics detection. Water Research, 137:362-374. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.12.056]
Microplastics ; Freshwater ; Contamination ; Environmental effects ; Waste water treatment plants ; Purification ; Water quality ; Rivers ; Lakes ; Degradation ; Health hazards ; Analytical methods
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049218)
(0.34 MB)
The continuous increase in synthetic plastic production and poor management in plastic waste have led to a tremendous increase in the dumping into our aqueous environment. Consequently, microplastics commonly defined as sizes less than 5 mm are produced and stay in both seawater and freshwater environment. The presence of microplastics as a new type of emerging contaminant has become a great issue of concerns from public and government authorities. The sources of microplastics to freshwater systems are many with the largest portion from wastewater treatment plants. The abundance of microplastics varies with the location, from above 1 million pieces per cubic meter to less than 1 piece in 100 cubic meters.
Microplastics can cause several harmful physical effects on humans and living organisms through such mechanisms as entanglement and ingestion. The microplastics can act as carriers of various toxins such as additives from industrial production processes and persistent contaminants by the sorption in waters. Those toxins may cause great health problems to humans. A few studies on the fishes demonstrated that the microplastics and the associated toxins are bio-accumulated and cause such problems as intestinal damage and change in metabolic profiles.
In studies of microplastics, fresh water is first sampled by the nets with typical mesh size of 330 µm for collection of microplastics. After the volume reducing process, the samples will then go through the purification process including density separation by such inorganic salts as sodium chloride and digestion process by oxidizing agents or enzymes. The sequence of these two processes (namely purification and digestion) is dependent on the sample type. The purified samples can be studied by several analytical methods. The commonly used methods for the qualification studies are FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC/MS, and liquid chromatography. A tagging method can be used in the quantification study. Our literature study finds that there is still no universal accepted quantification and qualification tools of microplastics in fresh waters. More work is anticipated so as to obtain accurate information on microplastics in freshwater, which can then be used for the better assessment of the environmental risk.
Microplastics can cause several harmful physical effects on humans and living organisms through such mechanisms as entanglement and ingestion. The microplastics can act as carriers of various toxins such as additives from industrial production processes and persistent contaminants by the sorption in waters. Those toxins may cause great health problems to humans. A few studies on the fishes demonstrated that the microplastics and the associated toxins are bio-accumulated and cause such problems as intestinal damage and change in metabolic profiles.
In studies of microplastics, fresh water is first sampled by the nets with typical mesh size of 330 µm for collection of microplastics. After the volume reducing process, the samples will then go through the purification process including density separation by such inorganic salts as sodium chloride and digestion process by oxidizing agents or enzymes. The sequence of these two processes (namely purification and digestion) is dependent on the sample type. The purified samples can be studied by several analytical methods. The commonly used methods for the qualification studies are FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC/MS, and liquid chromatography. A tagging method can be used in the quantification study. Our literature study finds that there is still no universal accepted quantification and qualification tools of microplastics in fresh waters. More work is anticipated so as to obtain accurate information on microplastics in freshwater, which can then be used for the better assessment of the environmental risk.
3 Eerkes-Medrano, D.; Leslie, H. A.; Quinn, B. 2019. Microplastics in drinking water: a review and assessment. Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health, 7:69-75. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coesh.2018.12.001]
Microplastics ; Drinking water treatment ; Risk assessment ; Water use ; Health hazards ; Public health ; Water quality ; Chemical contamination ; Environmental effects
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049219)
(0.60 MB)
The first media reports of microplastics (MPs) in drinking water (DW) appeared in 2017 and were followed by several scientific publications in 2018. Three important areas to consider on the subject of MPs in DW are as follows: (1) what is the evidence of MPs in DW? (2) how do MPs enter DW? (3) what are the toxicological implications for humans? We review these issues by presenting the published evidence of MPs in tap water, bottled water and at intake and outflow of DW treatment plants; discuss the potential routes by which MPs reach these destinations; address the available evidence of potential impacts of MPs on humans via DW and provide a preliminary human exposure assessment; and suggest future directions for research and approaches to address emerging concerns.
4 Magni, S.; Binelli, A.; Pittura, L.; Avio, C. G.; Torre, C. D.; Parenti, C. C.; Gorbi, S.; Regoli, F. 2019. The fate of microplastics in an Italian wastewater treatment plant. Science of The Total Environment, 652:602-610. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.269]
Microplastics ; Waste water treatment plants ; Recycling ; Sewage sludge ; Effluents ; Freshwater ; Contamination ; Water pollution ; Sedimentation ; Aquatic environment / Italy
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049220)
(1.31 MB)
The emerged threat of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic ecosystems is posing a new challenges in environmental management, in particular the civil Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) which can act both as collectors of MPs from anthropic use and as a source to natural environments. In this study, MP fate was investigated in one of the biggest WWTPs of Northern Italy, built at the beginning of the 2000s and which serves a population equivalent of about 1,200,000, by evaluating their presence at the inlet (IN), the removal efficiency after the settler (SET) and at the outlet (OUT), and their transfer to sludge. Samples were collected in three days of a week and plastic debris was characterized in terms of shape, size and polymer composition using the Fourier Transform Infrared Microscope System (µFT-IR). The number of detected MPs was 2.5 ± 0.3 MPs/L in the IN, 0.9 ± 0.3 MPs/L after the SET and 0.4 ± 0.1 MPs/L in the OUT, indicating a total removal efficiency of 84%. However, considering that this WWTP treats about 400,000,000 L wastewaters/day, the potential release of MPs to the receiving aquatic system would be approximately 160,000,000 MPs/day, mainly polyesters (35%) and polyamide (17%). Furthermore, a great amount of MPs removed from wastewater was detected in the recycled activated sludge, with 113 ± 57 MPs/g sludge dry weight, corresponding to about 3,400,000,000 MPs deposited in the 30 tons of sludge daily produced by this WWTP. Given the possible re-use of WWTP sludge in fertilizers for agriculture, our results highlight that WWTPs could represent a potential source of MPs also to agroecosystems.
5 Corradini, F.; Meza, P.; Eguiluz, R.; Casado, F.; Huerta-Lwanga, E.; Geissen, V. 2019. Evidence of microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils from sewage sludge disposal. Science of The Total Environment, 671:411-420. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.368]
Microplastics ; Agricultural soils ; Sewage sludge ; Waste disposal ; Nonpoint pollution ; Contamination ; Wastewater treatment ; Waste management ; Polymers ; Assessment / Chile
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049221)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971931366X/pdfft?md5=f0c5b57a028a52f1b34c2dd2f83d95c9&pid=1-s2.0-S004896971931366X-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049221.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049221.pdf
(1.71 MB) (1.71 MB)
Microplastics are emerging as a steadily increasing environmental threat. Wastewater treatment plants efficiently remove microplastics from sewage, trapping the particles in the sludge and preventing their entrance into aquatic environments. Treatment plants are essentially taking the microplastics out of the waste water and concentrating them in the sludge, however. It has become common practice to use this sludge on agricultural soils as a fertilizer. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the microplastic contamination of soils by this practice, assessing the implications of successive sludge applications by looking at the total count of microplastic particles in soil samples. Thirty-one agricultural fields with different sludge application records and similar edaphoclimatic conditions were evaluated. Field records of sludge application covered a ten year period. For all fields, historical disposal events used the same amount of sludge (40 ton ha-1 dry weight). Extraction of microplastics was done by flotation and particles were then counted and classified with the help of a microscope. Seven sludge samples were collected in the fields that underwent sludge applications during the study period. Soils where 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 applications of sludge had been performed had a median of 1.1, 1.6, 1.7, 2.3, and 3.5 particles g-1 dry soil, respectively. There were statistical differences in the microplastic contents related to the number of applications that a field had undergone (1, 2, 3 < 4, 5). Microplastic content in sludge ranged from 18 to 41 particles g-1, with a median of 34 particles g-1. The majority of the observed microplastics were fibers (90% in sludge, and 97% in soil). Our results indicate that microplastic counts increase over time where successive sludge applications are performed. Microplastics observed in soil samples stress the relevance of sludge as a driver of soil microplastic contamination.
6 Rezania, S.; Park, J.; Md Din, M. F.; Taib, S. M.; Talaiekhozani, A.; Yadav, K. K.; Kamyab, H. 2018. Microplastics pollution in different aquatic environments and biota: a review of recent studies. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 133:191-208. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.022]
Microplastics ; Water pollution ; Aquatic environment ; Biota ; Marine environment ; Freshwater ; Waste water treatment plants ; Waste management ; Oceans ; Beaches ; Rivers ; Lakes ; Sediment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049222)
(0.29 MB)
Microplastics (MPs) are generated from plastic and have negative impact to our environment due to high level of fragmentation. They can be originated from various sources in different forms such as fragment, fiber, foam and so on. For detection of MPs, many techniques have been developed with different functions such as microscopic observation, density separation, Raman and FTIR analysis. Besides, due to ingestion of MPs by wide range of marine species, research on the effect of this pollution on biota as well as human is vital. Therefore, we comprehensively reviewed the occurrence and distribution of MPs pollution in both marine and freshwater environments, including rivers, lakes and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). For future studies, we propose the development of new techniques for sampling MPs in aquatic environments and biota and recommend more research regarding MPs release by WWTPs.
7 Ma, B.; Xue, W.; Hu, C.; Liu, H.; Qu, J.; Li, L. 2019. Characteristics of microplastic removal via coagulation and ultrafiltration during drinking water treatment. Chemical Engineering Journal, 359:159-167. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2018.11.155]
Microplastics ; Drinking water treatment ; Coagulation ; Ultrafiltration ; Marine environment ; Filtration ; Polyethylene ; Membranes ; Salts
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049226)
(1.44 MB)
Microplastics have garnered much attention worldwide as a new emerging pollutant, especially because of their eco-toxicological effects in marine environments. As they are gradually detected in freshwaters, understanding how microplastics, with their small particle size and low density, will behave during current drinking water treatment processes is urgently needed. In this study, Al- and Fe-based salts were used in the presence of polyethylene (PE), which is suspended/floats easily in water and is the main constituent of microplastics. Results showed that Al-based salts performed better in PE removal efficiency than Fe-based salts. The smaller the PE particle size, the higher the removal efficiency. However, a low removal efficiency was observed, even with a high Al-based salt dosage of 15 mM (below 40%). Additionally, water conditions, such as ionic strength, turbidity level, barely influenced the removal efficiency. In comparison to pH, polyacrylamide (PAM) addition played an important role in removing PE; especially anionic PAM addition, because of the positively charged Al-based flocs it generates under neutral conditions. For ultrafiltration, although PE particles can be completely rejected, slight membrane fouling was induced after coagulation with conventional Al-based salts. With increasing dosage, membrane fouling was gradually aggravated owing to the thick cake layer formed. However, the larger the PE particles, the greater the roughness of the Al-based floc cake layer, leading to less severe membrane fouling. Based on this investigation, the microplastic removal behaviors exhibited during coagulation and ultrafiltration processes have potential application in drinking water treatment.
8 Mintenig, S. M.; Loder, M. G. J.; Primpke, S.; Gerdts, G. 2019. Low numbers of microplastics detected in drinking water from ground water sources. Science of The Total Environment, 648:631-635. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.178]
Drinking water treatment ; Microplastics ; Groundwater ; Contamination ; Water purification ; Public health ; Health hazards ; Risk analysis ; Households / Germany
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049247)
(0.90 MB)
Microplastic particles have been detected in various natural habitats and the digestive tracts of several species. These particles have also been reported in commercially available seafood, salt or bottled water starting discussions on potential implications for human health. To be able to assess the related risks, exposure concentrations and pathways need to be known. Here, we analysed ground water and drinking water for the presence of microplastics (>20 µm) using FTIR imaging. Samples were taken at different positions within the drinking water supply chain. Determined concentrations ranged from 0 to 7 microplastics m-3 raw water or drinking water with an overall mean of 0.7 microplastics m-3. These particles were identified as polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinylchloride or epoxy resin and between 50 and 150 µm in size. Plastic is a resistant and durable material, still, the abrasion of plastic equipment used during water purification or transport is a likely explanation for the plastic particles detected in water samples.
9 de Villiers, S. 2019. Microfibre pollution hotspots in river sediments adjacent to South Africa’s coastline. Water SA, 45(1):97-102. [doi: https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v45i1.11]
Rivers ; Water pollution ; Microplastics ; Sediment pollution ; Coastal area ; Freshwater ecosystems ; Water availability ; Water supply ; Environmental effects ; Household consumption ; Health hazards ; Rural communities / South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049227)
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/wsa/article/download/182970/172675
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049227.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049227.pdf
(2.05 MB) (2.05 MB)
River sediment samples collected in the lower reaches of catchments along South Africa’s coastline have microfibre levels ranging from 0 to 567 fibres/dm3. This range is similar to those of sandy beach sediments along the coast. Much higher microfibre levels are observed in KwaZulu-Natal and the Wild Coast region, compared to the Cape South Coast. There is a significant positive relationship between river sediment microfibre levels, and the percentage of households in the catchment area that do not have access to piped water. The implication is that rural communities that rely on rivers as their primary or only source of water, including for directly washing clothes in, may be significantly contributing to microfibre pollution of freshwater aquatic ecosystems. If microfibre pollution is found to have ecosystem or human health implications such as chemical toxicity or fibre-induced mesothelioma, this will be detrimental to river biota and these communities.
10 Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Drechsel, Pay; Keraita, B.; Fernando, Sudarshana; Hanjra, M. A. 2019. Guidelines and regulations for fecal sludge management from on-site sanitation facilities. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 57p. (Resource Recovery and Reuse Series 14) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2019.211]
Resource recovery ; Resource management ; Reuse ; Faecal sludge ; Sanitation ; Guidelines ; Regulations ; Standards ; Policies ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Frameworks ; Technology ; Waste disposal ; Waste treatment ; Pit latrines ; Septic tanks ; Transport ; Operating costs ; Public health ; Excreta ; Pathogens ; Aquaculture ; Pollutants ; Heavy metals ; Microplastics ; Soil conditioners ; Sewage sludge ; Organic fertilizers ; Composting ; Energy generation ; Fuels ; Environmental protection ; Occupational hazards ; Land use ; Urban areas ; Households ; Stakeholders ; Institutions ; Governmental organizations ; European Union / USA / Canada / Australia / India / Malaysia / Philippines / Vietnam / Bangladesh / Zambia / Ghana / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H049291)
(1.05 MB)
In low- and middle-income countries, the management of fecal sludge from on-site sanitation systems has received little attention over many decades, resulting in insufficient or missing regulations to guide investments and management options. To address this gap, this report examines existing and emerging guidelines and regulations for fecal sludge management (FSM) along the sanitation service chain (user interface, containment, emptying, transport, treatment, valorization, reuse or disposal). It also draws empirical examples from guidelines across the globe to support policy-makers, planners, and sanitation and health officers, as well as consultants in low- and middle-income countries in the development and design of local and national FSM guidelines and regulations.
11 Cox, K. D.; Covernton, G. A.; Davies, H. L.; Dower, J. F.; Juanes, F.; Dudas, S. E. 2019. Human consumption of microplastics. Environmental Science and Technology, 53(12):7068-7074. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01517]
Microplastics ; Food consumption ; Seafoods ; Drinking water ; Bottled water ; Tap water ; Contamination ; Public health ; Females ; Males ; Children
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049299)
(1.13 MB)
Microplastics are ubiquitous across ecosystems, yet the exposure risk to humans is unresolved. Focusing on the American diet, we evaluated the number of microplastic particles in commonly consumed foods in relation to their recommended daily intake. The potential for microplastic inhalation and how the source of drinking water may affect microplastic consumption were also explored. Our analysis used 402 data points from 26 studies, which represents over 3600 processed samples. Evaluating approximately 15% of Americans’ caloric intake, we estimate that annual microplastics consumption ranges from 39000 to 52000 particles depending on age and sex. These estimates increase to 74000 and 121000 when inhalation is considered. Additionally, individuals who meet their recommended water intake through only bottled sources may be ingesting an additional 90000 microplastics annually, compared to 4000 microplastics for those who consume only tap water. These estimates are subject to large amounts of variation; however, given methodological and data limitations, these values are likely underestimates.
12 Bannick, C. G.; Szewzyk, R.; Ricking, M.; Schniegler, S.; Obermaier, N.; Barthel, A. K.; Altmann, K.; Eisentraut, P.; Braun, U. 2019. Development and testing of a fractionated filtration for sampling of microplastics in water. Water Research, 149:650-658. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.045]
Microplastics ; Filtration ; Representative sampling ; Wastewater treatment plants ; Discharges ; Sedimentation ; Surface water ; Water analysis
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049225)
(0.72 MB)
A harmonization of sampling, sample preparation and detection is pivotal in order to obtain comparable data on microplastics (MP) in the environment. This paper develops and proposes a suitable sampling concept for waterbodies that considers different plastic specific properties and influencing factors in the environment.
Both artificial water including defined MP fractions and the discharge of a wastewater treatment plant were used to verify the derived sampling procedure, sample preparation and the subsequent analysis of MP using thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS).
A major finding of this paper is that an application of various particle size classes greatly improves the practical handling of the sampling equipment. Size classes also enable the TED-GC-MS to provide any data on the MP size distribution, a substantial sampling property affecting both the necessary sampling volume and the optimal sampling depth.
In the artificial water with defined MP fractions, the recovery rates ranged from 80 to 110%, depending on the different MP types and MP size classes. In the treated wastewater, we found both polyethylene and polystyrene in different size classes and quantities.
Both artificial water including defined MP fractions and the discharge of a wastewater treatment plant were used to verify the derived sampling procedure, sample preparation and the subsequent analysis of MP using thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS).
A major finding of this paper is that an application of various particle size classes greatly improves the practical handling of the sampling equipment. Size classes also enable the TED-GC-MS to provide any data on the MP size distribution, a substantial sampling property affecting both the necessary sampling volume and the optimal sampling depth.
In the artificial water with defined MP fractions, the recovery rates ranged from 80 to 110%, depending on the different MP types and MP size classes. In the treated wastewater, we found both polyethylene and polystyrene in different size classes and quantities.
13 Ma, B.; Xue, W.; Ding, Y.; Hu, C.; Liu, H.; Qu, J. 2019. Removal characteristics of microplastics by fe-based coagulants during drinking water treatment. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 78:267-275. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2018.10.006]
Drinking water treatment ; Microplastics ; Ultrafiltration ; Membrane filtration ; Disinfection ; Coagulation ; Experimentation
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049224)
(1.06 MB)
Microplastics have caused great concern worldwide recently due to their ubiquitous presence within the marine environment. Up to now, most attention has been paid to their sources, distributions, measurement methods, and especially their eco-toxicological effects. With microplastics being increasingly detected in freshwater, it is urgently necessary to evaluate their behaviors during coagulation and ultrafiltration (UF) processes. Herein, the removal behavior of polyethylene (PE), which is easily suspended in water and is the main component of microplastics, was investigated with commonly used Fe-based salts. Results showed that although higher removal efficiency was induced for smaller PE particles, low PE removal efficiency (below 15%) was observed using the traditional coagulation process, and was little influenced by water characteristics. In comparison to solution pH, PAM addition played a more important role in increasing the removal efficiency, especially anionic PAM at high dosage (with efficiency up to 90.9%). The main reason was ascribed to the dense floc formation and high adsorption ability because of the positively charged Fe-based flocs under neutral conditions. For ultrafiltration, although PE particles could be completely rejected, slight membrane fouling was caused owing to their large particle size. The membrane flux decreased after coagulation; however, the membrane fouling was less severe than that induced by flocs alone due to the heterogeneous nature of the cake layer caused by PE, even at high dosages of Fe-based salts. Based on the behavior exhibited during coagulation and ultrafiltration, we believe these findings will have potential application in drinking water treatment.
14 Pivokonsky, M.; Cermakova, L.; Novotna, K.; Peer, P.; Cajthaml, T.; Janda, V. 2018. Occurrence of microplastics in raw and treated drinking water. Science of The Total Environment, 643:1644-1651. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.102]
Drinking water treatment ; Microplastics ; Contamination ; Freshwater ; Waste water treatment plants ; Nanoplastics ; Filtration / Czechia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049319)
(1.53 MB)
The study investigates the content of microplastic particles in freshwater and drinking water. Specifically, three water treatment plants (WTPs) supplied by different kinds of water bodies were selected and their raw and treated water was analysed for microplastics (MPs). Microplastics were found in all water samples and their average abundance ranged from 1473 ± 34 to 3605 ± 497 particles L-1 in raw water and from 338 ± 76 to 628 ± 28 particles L-1 in treated water, depending on the WTP. This study is one of very few that determine microplastics down to the size of 1 µm, while MPs smaller than 10 µm were the most plentiful in both raw and treated water samples, accounting for up to 95%. Further, MPs were divided into three categories according to their shape. Fragments clearly prevailed at two of the WTPs and fibres together with fragments predominated at one case. Despite 12 different materials forming the microplastics being identified, the majority of the MPs (>70%) comprised of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene) and PE (polyethylene). This study contributes to fill the knowledge gap in the field of emerging microplastic pollution of drinking water and water sources, which is of concern due to the potential exposure of microplastics to humans.
15 WHO. 2019. Microplastics in drinking-water. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO. 101p.
Microplastics ; Drinking water treatment ; Health hazards ; Public health ; Risk assessment ; Freshwater ; Wastewater treatment plants ; Water pollution ; Chemical contamination ; Microorganisms ; Biological contamination
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049398)
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/326499/9789241516198-eng.pdf?ua=1
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049398.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049398.pdf
(3.85 MB) (3.85 MB)
16 Rillig, M. C.; Lehmann, A. 2020. Microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems: research shifts from ecotoxicology to ecosystem effects and Earth system feedbacks. Science, 368(6498):1430-1431. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb5979]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049810)
(0.92 MB)
17 Uddin, S.; Fowler, S. W.; Behbehani, M. 2020. An assessment of microplastic inputs into the aquatic environment from wastewater streams. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 160:111538. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111538]
Microplastics ; Effluents ; Waste disposal ; Assessment ; Aquatic environment ; Marine environment ; Wastewater treatment plants ; Sea pollution ; Sediment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049960)
(1.45 MB)
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a pivotal role in removal of microplastics (MPs) particles before the waste streams are discharged into aquatic environments. Indiscriminate disposal of the effluent and untreated wastewater not only contribute to accumulation of MP in the marine environment, but they can also act as a carrier for various hydrophobic compounds and contributors of pollutants that leach from them via natural degradation. In this assessment, we have summarized the MP concentrations in influent and effluent streams, and provide quantification of the discharges from these WWTPs. Almost 50% of the global wastewater influent of 3,562,082 × 105 m3 remains untreated. Some conservative estimates indicate that treated effluent disposal can add around 1.47 × 1015 MPs annually, whereas the discharge of untreated effluent is likely to add a staggering 3.85 × 1016 MPs annually to the aquatic environments. The efficiency of MP removal in wastewater treatment plants varies between 88 and 99.9%, indicating the potential of capturing the majority of the MP from escaping into the freshwater and marine environment. Based on WWTP removal efficiencies for MPs, calculations suggest that if all the globally produced wastewater was treated prior to release, a reduction of over 90% of the current amount of MP inputs into the aquatic environment could be achieved. From the number of studies conducted and assessments made on MPs in waste streams, it is obvious the methodologies followed were quite different, and the use of acids and heating are likely to deteriorate the MPs, emphasizing the need to develop harmonized protocols for microplastic assessment in wastewater treatment plants.
18 Deng, L.; Cai, L.; Sun, F.; Li, G.; Che, Y. 2020. Public attitudes towards microplastics: perceptions, behaviors and policy implications. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 163:105096. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105096]
Microplastics ; Public opinion ; Attitudes ; Awareness ; Behaviour ; Marine environment ; Emission reduction ; Pollution control ; Socioeconomic environment ; Public health ; Policies ; Models / China / Shanghai
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050081)
(1.14 MB)
Microplastics are ubiquitous and have been found in marine environments, organisms, salt, and even human bodies. Concern about the impact of microplastics on the ecological environment, as well as the threat of microplastics to food safety and public health is increasing among the society. However, there is currently no effective technical way to tackle and remove microplastics from the environment. Thus, public attitudes are key to reducing microplastic emissions. This study investigated the public's perceptions and attitudes towards microplastics in Shanghai and used an ordered regression model to explore the public's willingness to reduce microplastics and its influencing factors. We used random face-to-face interviews to complete a total of 437 valid questionnaires. The survey results show that only 26% of the respondents had heard of microplastics before the survey, and the majority were relatively unfamiliar with microplastics. Although the public's awareness of microplastics is low compared to that of other substances, when informed with the possibility that microplastics may affect human health, 75% of respondents became worried or even overly worried. In addition, the higher the respondents' knowledge of plastics and microplastics is, the stronger their willingness to behave. Public's concern is also an important impact factor. We found that women's willingness to reduce emissions is higher than men's and environmental protection-related practitioners are also more willing to act. Therefore, this article focuses on the public's understanding of microplastics to propose measures and policy implications to reduce microplastic emissions during the process of microplastic production and recycling.
19 Nikiema, Josiane; Mateo-Sagasta, Javier; Asiedu, Zipporah; Saad, Dalia; Lamizana, B. 2020. Water pollution by plastics and microplastics: a review of technical solutions from source to sea. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 112p.
Water pollution ; Plastics ; Microplastics ; Waste management ; Sea pollution ; Freshwater pollution ; Contamination ; Water quality ; Wastewater treatment ; Treatment plants ; Recycling ; Technology ; Drinking water treatment ; Industrial wastewater ; Costs ; Municipal wastewater ; Solid wastes ; Sewage sludge ; Landfill leachates ; Waste incineration ; Risk ; Public health ; Health hazards ; Developing countries ; Policies ; Energy recovery ; Wetlands / USA / Europe / China
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050126)
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/34424/WPMM.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050126.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050126.pdf
(2.63 MB) (26.6 MB)
20 Nikiema, Josiane; Asiedu, Zipporah; Mateo-Sagasta, Javier; Saad, Dalia; Lamizana, B. 2020. Catalogue of technologies to address the risks of contamination of water bodies with plastics and microplastics. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 62p.
Water pollution ; Plastics ; Microplastics ; Contamination ; Risk ; Waste management ; Wastewater treatment ; Technology ; Treatment plants ; Recycling ; Drinking water treatment ; Sewage sludge ; Landfill leachates ; Waste incineration ; Industrial wastewater ; Effluents ; Filtration ; Sea pollution ; Wetlands ; Cost benefit analysis ; Maintenance ; Developing countries ; Gender ; Women ; Policies ; Investment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050127)
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/34423/CTWM.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050127.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050127.pdf
(1.53 MB) (15.0 MB)
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