AUTHOR=Goedecke Caroline , Eisentraut Paul , Altmann Korinna , Elert Anna Maria , Bannick Claus G. , Ricking Mathias , Obermaier Nathan , Barthel Anne-Katrin , Schmitt Thomas , Jekel Martin , Braun Ulrike TITLE=Development of a Routine Screening Method for the Microplastic Mass Content in a Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent JOURNAL=Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry VOLUME=3 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-chemistry/articles/10.3389/fenvc.2022.844633 DOI=10.3389/fenvc.2022.844633 ISSN=2673-4486 ABSTRACT=

An investigation of microplastic (MP) occurrence in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent with tertiary treatment was carried out. Representative sample volumes of 1 m3 were taken by applying a fractionated filtration method (500, 100, and 50 µm mesh sizes). The detection of MP mass fractions by thermal extraction desorption–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) was achieved without the previously required additional sample pretreatment for the first time. Different types of quantification methods for the evaluation of TED-GC/MS data were tested, and their accuracy and feasibility have been proven for real samples. Polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene were identified in effluent samples. The polymer mass content varied significantly between 5 and 50 mg m−3. A correlation between the MP load and the quantity of suspended matter in the WWTP effluents, particle size distribution, particle type, and operation day (i.e., weekday, season, and capacity) was not found. It can be concluded that a meaningful assessment of WWTPs requires a comprehensive sampling campaign with varying operation conditions.