Impact of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics on Aerobic Granular Sludge Structure and EPS Composition in Wastewater Treatment
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61989100%3A27710%2F25%3A10256544" target="_blank" >RIV/61989100:27710/25:10256544 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/17/2/270" target="_blank" >https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/17/2/270</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w17020270" target="_blank" >10.3390/w17020270</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Impact of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics on Aerobic Granular Sludge Structure and EPS Composition in Wastewater Treatment
Original language description
Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a promising technology for wastewater treatment. Granules have a compact microbial structure and a high potential for pollutant removal. Despite its advantages, the impact of microplastics (MPs) on AGS remains poorly understood, posing a potential risk to the stability and efficiency of biological wastewater treatment processes. This study investigates the effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPs on AGS structure and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) composition, providing new insights into the interaction between MPs and AGS. Four granular sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) were operated with varying concentrations of PET MPs in the influent wastewater (0, 1, 10, 50 mg/L). Key findings include MP-induced changes in granule size distribution, with an increase in smaller granules (<90 µm) observed in reactors exposed to PET MPs. EPS concentrations (51–77 mg/L) exhibited significant differences among reactors, with notable shifts in protein (PN) and polysaccharide (PS) fractions. A higher PET MP dose resulted in an increased PN/PS ratio (from 1.96 to 5.40) and elevated hydrophobicity of AGS. These changes suggest that MPs can alter AGS structure and EPS composition, potentially affecting granule stability and treatment performance. This study provides novel evidence on the disruptive effects of MPs in wastewater treatment systems, emphasizing the need to address MP pollution in the context of biological treatment processes. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of the interactions between MP and AGS and form the basis for strategies to mitigate their adverse effects.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
20800 - Environmental biotechnology
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
V - Vyzkumna aktivita podporovana z jinych verejnych zdroju
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Water
ISSN
2073-4441
e-ISSN
2073-4441
Volume of the periodical
17
Issue of the periodical within the volume
2
Country of publishing house
CH - SWITZERLAND
Number of pages
13
Pages from-to
270
UT code for WoS article
001405983000001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85215779113