The entering of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics into biological wastewater treatment system affects aerobic sludge digestion differently from their direct entering into sludge treatment system.

Wei, W; Chen, X; Peng, L; Liu, Y; Bao, T; Ni, B-J

The entering of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics into biological wastewater treatment system affects aerobic sludge digestion differently from their direct entering into sludge treatment system.

Wei, W

Chen, X Peng, L Liu, Y

Bao, T Ni, B-J

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Water Research, 2021, 190, pp. 1-11
Issue Date:: 2021-02-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wei, W https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5613-337X
dc.contributor.author	Chen, X
dc.contributor.author	Peng, L
dc.contributor.author	Liu, Y https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6677-7961
dc.contributor.author	Bao, T
dc.contributor.author	Ni, B-J
dc.date.accessioned	2022-05-12T05:03:12Z
dc.date.available	2020-12-06
dc.date.available	2022-05-12T05:03:12Z
dc.date.issued	2021-02-01
dc.identifier.citation	Water Research, 2021, 190, pp. 1-11
dc.identifier.issn	0043-1354
dc.identifier.issn	1879-2448
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/157283
dc.description.abstract	The entering of the widespread polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics into biological wastewater treatment system results in their retention in sewage sludge, which inevitably enters the sludge treatment system. However, all previous studies regarding the impact of microplastics on sludge treatment system were conducted by directly adding microplastics to system and focusing on anaerobic sludge digestion, although PET microplastics commonly enter into the biological wastewater treatment system first before sludge being subsequently treated. The potential impact of the microplastics on waste activated sludge (WAS) aerobic digestion is also completely missing. Therefore, herein the influences of PET microplastics with different entry paths on WAS aerobic digestion as well as the key mechanisms involved was firstly explored. Experimental results demonstrated that compared to the control test, the entering of PET microplastics to biological wastewater treatment system inhibited WAS aerobic digestion by 10.9 ± 0.1% through the decreased hydrolysis, although WAS solubilization during aerobic digestion was improved due to the change of generated WAS characteristics. In contrast, when PET microplastics was directly added to the sludge aerobic digester, there was little impact on solubilization, while the hydrolysis were inhibited seriously, thereby suppressing WAS aerobic digestion more severely by 28.9 ± 0.1%. Further investigation revealed that PET microplastics reduced the populations of key bacteria (e.g., Saprospiraceae, Chitinophagaceae and Xanthomonadaceae) involved in aerobic digestion via induced oxidative stress or/and releasing toxic chemical. This study provided a more accurate approach to assessing the real situation regarding the influences of PET microplastics on aerobic sludge digestion.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT160100195
dc.relation.ispartof	Water Research
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.watres.2020.116731
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Engineering
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Bioreactors
dc.subject.mesh	Digestion
dc.subject.mesh	Microplastics
dc.subject.mesh	Plastics
dc.subject.mesh	Polyethylene Terephthalates
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Water Purification
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Bioreactors
dc.subject.mesh	Digestion
dc.subject.mesh	Microplastics
dc.subject.mesh	Plastics
dc.subject.mesh	Polyethylene Terephthalates
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Water Purification
dc.subject.mesh	Plastics
dc.subject.mesh	Polyethylene Terephthalates
dc.subject.mesh	Bioreactors
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Water Purification
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Digestion
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Microplastics
dc.title	The entering of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics into biological wastewater treatment system affects aerobic sludge digestion differently from their direct entering into sludge treatment system.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	190
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2022-05-12T05:03:09Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	190

Abstract:

The entering of the widespread polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics into biological wastewater treatment system results in their retention in sewage sludge, which inevitably enters the sludge treatment system. However, all previous studies regarding the impact of microplastics on sludge treatment system were conducted by directly adding microplastics to system and focusing on anaerobic sludge digestion, although PET microplastics commonly enter into the biological wastewater treatment system first before sludge being subsequently treated. The potential impact of the microplastics on waste activated sludge (WAS) aerobic digestion is also completely missing. Therefore, herein the influences of PET microplastics with different entry paths on WAS aerobic digestion as well as the key mechanisms involved was firstly explored. Experimental results demonstrated that compared to the control test, the entering of PET microplastics to biological wastewater treatment system inhibited WAS aerobic digestion by 10.9 ± 0.1% through the decreased hydrolysis, although WAS solubilization during aerobic digestion was improved due to the change of generated WAS characteristics. In contrast, when PET microplastics was directly added to the sludge aerobic digester, there was little impact on solubilization, while the hydrolysis were inhibited seriously, thereby suppressing WAS aerobic digestion more severely by 28.9 ± 0.1%. Further investigation revealed that PET microplastics reduced the populations of key bacteria (e.g., Saprospiraceae, Chitinophagaceae and Xanthomonadaceae) involved in aerobic digestion via induced oxidative stress or/and releasing toxic chemical. This study provided a more accurate approach to assessing the real situation regarding the influences of PET microplastics on aerobic sludge digestion.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/157283