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Water
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Microplastics Pollution and Solutions
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Microplastics Pollution and Solutions

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 15113

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiangchi Fei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Resources, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Interests: organic pollutants; mulch film; microplastics; biodegradable materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qian Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310000, China
Interests: spatial distribution; migration and management of environmental microplastic pollution; ageing characteristics and change process of environmental microplastics; interactions between biofilms and microplastic surface changes
Dr. Zhenxing Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Guangzhou 510655, China
Interests: artificial intelligence; environmental systems modelling; contaminant transport and removal modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lizhi Xiong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou, China
Interests: ecotoxic effects of microplastics on plants; accumulation and transmission of microplastic and organic compound pollution in the food chain

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plastic products are necessities for human life and the global annual output of plastic has exceeded 380 million tons. Subsequently, the total amount of plastic waste is also increasing per year. A large number of plastic wastes remaining in the environment have the characteristics of large quantity and wide distribution, and are easy to be both swallowed by organisms and accumulated in the food chain. In addition, because of their charge, high specific surface area and hydrophobicity can be used as carriers to transport different kinds of pollutants, causing great pollution and potential threats to the environment. The plastic pollutants in aquatic and soil environments are decomposed after a long ageing process, in which it is easy to form microplastics (particle size = 100μm - 5mm). Hence, the distribution and fate of microplastics in the environment (interaction between heavy metals and organic pollutants), the current main regulatory policies, the mechanism of the ageing process, and the degradation efficiency (physicochemical degradation and biodegradation) are worth focusing on. In this Special Issue, we solicit papers on the following topics:

  1. Spatial–temporal distribution, migration, and fate of microplastics in the environment;
  2. Interactions between heavy metals, organic pollutants, and microplastics;
  3. Control, management, and policies of microplastic pollution in the environment;
  4. Ageing process of microplastics in the environment;
  5. Interactions between biofilms and microplastic surface changes;
  6. Optimal degradation efficiency of microplastics in the environment.

Dr. Jiangchi Fei
Dr. Qian Zhou
Dr. Zhenxing Wang
Dr. Lizhi Xiong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • distribution
  • migration process
  • management
  • ageing process
  • biofilms
  • heavy metals
  • organic pollutants
  • aquatic and soil environment
  • degradation

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 9767 KiB  
Article
Real-Time Pyrolysis Dynamics of Thermally Aged Tire Microplastics by TGA-FTIR-GC/MS
by Guangteng Bai, Juyang Fu, Qian Zhou and Xiangliang Pan
Water 2023, 15(10), 1944; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15101944 - 21 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1904
Abstract
Tire wear particles (TWPs), as a type of thermosetting microplastic (MP), accumulate in aquatic environments due to their wide application in road traffic globally. The increase in temperature because of friction heat may cause aging of tire materials, inducing water evaporation, additive volatilization, [...] Read more.
Tire wear particles (TWPs), as a type of thermosetting microplastic (MP), accumulate in aquatic environments due to their wide application in road traffic globally. The increase in temperature because of friction heat may cause aging of tire materials, inducing water evaporation, additive volatilization, polymer decomposition, and may pose serious potential risks to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, research on real-time pyrolysis dynamics of thermally aged tire MPs is very limited. In this study, a thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TG-FTIR-GC/MS) was used to investigate pyrolysis behaviors and products of thermally aged tire MPs. FTIR analysis indicated that the main pyrolysis gases included carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, aliphatic compounds, aromatic compounds and carbonyl compounds. The GC/MS analysis further determined the main pyrolytic products, including methylbenzene, styrene, m-xylene and D-limonene. These data combined with TG analysis revealed that the main pyrolytic products of TWPs were released at 400–600 °C. Moreover, the results showed that the number of aliphatic/aromatic compounds released increased in short-term thermo-oxidative aging but decreased in long-term thermo-oxidative aging. Moreover, the aged TWPs presented higher released amounts of styrene and methylbenzene but lower amounts of D-limonene compared to the original TWPs. These results can provide new insights into the evaluation method of TWP aging and a better understanding on TWP fate in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics Pollution and Solutions)
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13 pages, 2998 KiB  
Article
Effects of Salinity, pH, and Cu(II) on the Adsorption Behaviors of Tetracycline onto Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics: A Site Energy Distribution Analysis
by Yifan Liang, Chuhan Ying, Jianyu Zhu, Qian Zhou, Kuan Sun, Yajun Tian and Jun Li
Water 2023, 15(10), 1925; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15101925 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1575
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), as vectors for various pollutants in the environment, have been arousing public concern in recent years. The extensive use of antibiotics has led to their frequent detection in water environments, where they inevitably coexist with MPs and are actively adsorbed onto [...] Read more.
Microplastics (MPs), as vectors for various pollutants in the environment, have been arousing public concern in recent years. The extensive use of antibiotics has led to their frequent detection in water environments, where they inevitably coexist with MPs and are actively adsorbed onto MPs’ surfaces. However, the information on the influence of the main environmental factors on the sorption behavior of MPs is not fully understood, and especially, information about the effect mechanism is limited. This study aims to comprehensively assess the main factors and mechanisms that affect antibiotic sorption onto microplastics. The results indicated that the adsorption of tetracycline (TC) onto PVC MPs fits the pseudo-second-order model well. The adsorption of TC onto PVC MPs decreased with increasing salinity and pH. With the help of SED analysis, the decrease at high salinity was attributed to the decreased quantities of the most distributed energy sites in high-salinity systems compared to freshwater. Additionally, the decreased adsorption capacity of TC onto MPs at high pH mainly resulted from the electrostatic repulsion between MPs and TC2−. The coexisting Cu2+ and TC could improve the affinity between PVC MPs and TC via “MPs-TC-Cu2+” and “MPs-Cu2+-TC” bridges, boosting the capacity of PVC MPs to adsorb TC. This study provides comprehensive insights into the influence and mechanism of the main factors on the environmental behaviors of the coexistence of MPs with antibiotics, which is of great importance for evaluating and controlling their risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics Pollution and Solutions)
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12 pages, 2514 KiB  
Article
Spatial–Temporal Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution of Inland Fishing Ground in the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand
by Pattira Kasamesiri, Ruamruedee Panchan and Wipavee Thaimuangphol
Water 2023, 15(2), 330; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15020330 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2471
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has been identified as a potential threat to the aquatic environment and humans globally, with widespread occurrence in ecosystems, including reservoirs that constitute a key role in ecosystem services for humans. However, the evaluation of microplastic pollution in reservoirs is limited, [...] Read more.
Microplastic pollution has been identified as a potential threat to the aquatic environment and humans globally, with widespread occurrence in ecosystems, including reservoirs that constitute a key role in ecosystem services for humans. However, the evaluation of microplastic pollution in reservoirs is limited, especially in inland fishing ground reservoirs. The spatial and temporal distributions of microplastics in surface water and sediment at 13 stations of the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand, were assessed during the wet and dry seasons. The abundance and morphological characteristics of the microplastics were identified and classified by color, shape, size and polymer type. Microplastic abundance in surface water and sediment ranged between 25 and 3363 particles/m3 and 6 and 81 particles/kg, respectively. Seasonal variations impacted microplastic abundance in surface water, while tourism activity in the reservoir also influenced the abundance and morphological characteristics of microplastics. A microplastic risk assessment showed that the pollution load index reached extremely high levels in surface water during the dry season in tourist areas. The results provide a database to assess the risk of microplastic contamination and to monitor plastic pollution in lentic ecosystems, including preserving the health of aquatic habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics Pollution and Solutions)
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14 pages, 4288 KiB  
Article
Elimination of Microplastics at Different Stages in Wastewater Treatment Plants
by Hyuk Jun Kwon, Haerul Hidayaturrahman, Shaik Gouse Peera and Tae Gwan Lee
Water 2022, 14(15), 2404; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14152404 - 03 Aug 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6073
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has been widely studied as a global issue due to increased plastic usage and its effect on human and aquatic life. Microplastics originate from domestic and industrial activities. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in removing a significant amount [...] Read more.
Microplastic pollution has been widely studied as a global issue due to increased plastic usage and its effect on human and aquatic life. Microplastics originate from domestic and industrial activities. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in removing a significant amount of microplastics; otherwise, they end up in bioaccumulation. This study provides knowledge about the characteristics of microplastics, removal efficiency, and the correlation between wastewater quality and microplastic concentrations from three different WWTPs that differ in the type of biological and advanced wastewater treatment techniques that are believed to play an important role in microplastic removal. Microplastics of different types, such as fragments, fibers, and beads, are identified by using an optical microscope before and after the treatment process at each stage to assess the effect of different treatment techniques. In the screening unit and primary clarifier unit, WWTP-B shows the highest removal efficiency with 74.76% due to a distribution flow system installed before the primary clarifier to ensure a constant flow of wastewater. WWTP-B uses a bioreactor consisting of a filter plate coated with activated carbon (BSTS II) that can enhance the adaptability and adhesion of microorganisms and showed that 91.04% of the microplastic was removed. Furthermore, only WWTP-A and WWTP-B were applied coagulation, followed by the disc filter; they showed significant results in microplastic removal, compared to WWTP-C, which only used a disc filter. In conclusion, from all WWTP, WWTP-B shows good treatment series for removing microplastic in wastewater; however, WWTP-B showed a high rate of microplastic removal; unfortunately, large amounts of microplastics are still released into rivers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics Pollution and Solutions)
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16 pages, 2601 KiB  
Article
Occurrence of Microplastics from Plastic Fragments in Cultivated Soil of Sichuan Province: The Key Controls
by Huiru Zhang, Tuo Jin, Mengjiao Geng, Kuoshu Cui, Jianwei Peng, Gongwen Luo, Avelino Núñez Delgado, Yaoyu Zhou, Juan Liu and Jiangchi Fei
Water 2022, 14(9), 1417; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14091417 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2064
Abstract
With the continuous increase in the amount of mulch film, “white pollution” caused by plastic fragments (PF) has seriously affected agricultural production progress and poses a great threat to the safety and health of the agricultural environment. In the present study, PFs collected [...] Read more.
With the continuous increase in the amount of mulch film, “white pollution” caused by plastic fragments (PF) has seriously affected agricultural production progress and poses a great threat to the safety and health of the agricultural environment. In the present study, PFs collected from 20 mulched agricultural farmlands in Sichuan Province were investigated. The PFs were separated and screened following the density flotation method. Optical microscopy was used to assess the fragments’ distribution, abundance, color, size, and morphology, and Raman spectroscopy was used to identify the types. In addition, through the analysis of a questionnaire survey, a random forest (RF) model was conducted to assess the effects of environmental factors on the amount of PF. The results showed that the abundance of PFs was the highest in Lade Town, Zigong City, reaching 1158.33 ± 52.04 particles kg−1. Meanwhile, PFs were less abundant in Foyin Town, Luzhou City, with 50.00 ± 25.00 particles kg−1; the morphology features of PF in the cultivated soil were mainly transparent (60.06%) and flaky-like (83.41%), with sizes < 5 mm (63.61%). In total, 75% of the representative PFs were PE PFs, while PVC PFs were 25%. The RF model indicated that there were significant effects due to the total mulch film amount, annual precipitation, and planting pattern on the number of derived residues (PF). This study provides data indicating the urgent need to prevent and control plastic pollution in mulch farming, specifically in the soils of Sichuan Province. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microplastics Pollution and Solutions)
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