Detection and Occurrence of Microplastics through Municipal and Pilot-scale Drinking Water Treatment Plants

Concern regarding microplastic contamination in the environment by water providers and consumers has led to the investigation of microplastics in drinking water. Here, the development of a new method is described for microplastic analysis in drinking water samples, minimizing contamination and applying relevant QA/QC guidelines. The described method achieved an overall recovery of >80% for microplastics of various sizes, shapes, and composition, in drinking water matrices. Additionally, a full-scale conventional drinking water treatment plant employing coagulation, flocculation, filtration, and chlorination was sampled for microplastics, alongside a pilot-scale plant with eight parallel filters, receiving different treatment. Full-scale treatment removed 52% of microplastics from raw (42 ± 18 particles/L) to tap water (20 ± 8 particles/L). Ozonation, media type, biological contact, and flow rate through the filters contributed no additional removal. Coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation accounted for 70% of particle removal, the highest removal of unit processes examined.M.A.S.2021-06-22 00:00:0

Sampling and QA/QC: A Guide for Scientists Investigating the Occurrence of Microplastics Across Matrices

Plastic pollution is a defining environmental contaminant and is considered to be one of the greatest environmental threats of the Anthropocene, with its presence documented across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The majority of this plastic debris falls into the micro (1 μm - 5 mm) or nano (1 - 1000 nm) size range and comes from primary and secondary sources. Its small size makes it cumbersome to isolate and analyze reproducibly, and its ubiquitous distribution creates numerous challenges when controlling for background contamination across matrices (e.g., sediment, tissue, water, air). Although research on microplastics represents a relatively nascent subfield, burgeoning interest in questions surrounding the fate and effects of these debris items creates a pressing need for harmonized sampling protocols and quality control approaches. For results across laboratories to be reproducible and comparable, it is imperative that guidelines based on vetted protocols be readily available to research groups, many of which are either new to plastics research or, as with any new subfield, have arrived at current approaches through a process of trial-and-error rather than in consultation with the greater scientific community. The goals of this manuscript are to a) outline the steps necessary to conduct general as well as matrix-specific quality assurance and quality control based on sample type and associated constraints, b) briefly review current findings across matrices, and c) provide guidance for the design of sampling regimes. Specific attention is paid to the source of microplastic pollution as well as the pathway by which contamination occurs, with details provided regarding each step in the process from generating appropriate questions to sampling design and collection.acceptedVersio

Sampling and QA/QC: A Guide for Scientists Investigating the Occurrence of Microplastics Across Matrices

Plastic pollution is a defining environmental contaminant and is considered to be one of the greatest environmental threats of the Anthropocene, with its presence documented across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The majority of this plastic debris falls into the micro (1 μm - 5 mm) or nano (1 - 1000 nm) size range and comes from primary and secondary sources. Its small size makes it cumbersome to isolate and analyze reproducibly, and its ubiquitous distribution creates numerous challenges when controlling for background contamination across matrices (e.g., sediment, tissue, water, air). Although research on microplastics represents a relatively nascent subfield, burgeoning interest in questions surrounding the fate and effects of these debris items creates a pressing need for harmonized sampling protocols and quality control approaches. For results across laboratories to be reproducible and comparable, it is imperative that guidelines based on vetted protocols be readily available to research groups, many of which are either new to plastics research or, as with any new subfield, have arrived at current approaches through a process of trial-and-error rather than in consultation with the greater scientific community. The goals of this manuscript are to a) outline the steps necessary to conduct general as well as matrix-specific quality assurance and quality control based on sample type and associated constraints, b) briefly review current findings across matrices, and c) provide guidance for the design of sampling regimes. Specific attention is paid to the source of microplastic pollution as well as the pathway by which contamination occurs, with details provided regarding each step in the process from generating appropriate questions to sampling design and collection