MICROPLASTICS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS: OCCURRENCE, REMOVAL AND FATE

The high presence of microplastics (MPs) of varying sizes, types and concentrations is a key environmental concern due to their potential impact on water bodies and related ecosystems. MPs are not properly retained by the filtration systems of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which represent often a major source of release into rivers and seas. Nevertheless, as the issue of MPs is relatively recent, there are no standardised analytical procedures for sample pre-treatment and instrumental analytical procedures to date. In this context, the present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of treatment processes in removing MPs from wastewater in different mixed civil and industrial WWTPs, located in central-northern Italy, and to define an optimal protocol for the analysis of complex samples, such as wastewater.