A study by The University of Texas at Arlington has found that despite advanced wastewater treatment, microplastics continue to infiltrate our drinking water, posing potential health risks and environmental hazards.
Despite significant advancements in wastewater treatment technologies, microplastics continue to slip through, potentially endangering both human health and the environment, according to new research from The University of Texas at Arlington, published in Science of the Total Environment
A comprehensive review of existing studies has found that while wastewater treatment facilities drastically reduce the presence of microplastics, total elimination remains beyond reach.
“What our systematic literature review found is that while most wastewater treatment facilities significantly reduce microplastics loads, complete removal remains unattainable with current technologies,” senior author Un-Jung Kim, an assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences at UT Arlington, said in a news release. “As a result, many microplastics are being reintroduced into the environment, likely transporting other residual harmful pollutants in wastewater, such as the chemicals Bisphenols, PFAS and antibiotics.”
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles measuring five millimeters or less, commonly derived from the breakdown of larger plastic items, which are ubiquitous in consumer goods due to their low cost and durability. The persistence of these particles in treated wastewater is alarming because they can carry harmful pollutants and readily penetrate various parts of the environment, including drinking water sources.
“These microplastics and organic pollutants would exist in trace levels, but we can get exposure through simple actions like drinking water, doing laundry or watering plants, leading to potential long-term serious human health impacts, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer,” Kim added.
A major challenge identified by the study is the lack of standardized testing methods for detecting and addressing microplastics. The researchers advocate for a unified approach to better define and measure these particles, which vary significantly in size and composition.
“We found that the effectiveness of treatments varies depending on the technology communities use and how microplastics are measured to calculate the removal rates,” added lead author Jenny Kim Nguyen, who began the research as an undergraduate student at UT Arlington and is now pursuing a master’s degree n earth and environmental sciences at UT Arlington. “One way to better address the growing microplastics issue is to develop standardized testing methods that provide a clearer understanding of the issue.”
Nguyen is actively working on developing standardized experimental protocols for studying microplastics in both air and water.
Co-author Karthikraj Rajendiran, an assistant professor of research from UTA’s Bone Muscle Research Center within the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, emphasized that understanding the microplastics problem is critical for addressing long-term health impacts and informing mitigation efforts.
“This work helps us understand the current microplastics problem, so we can address its long-term health impacts and establish better mitigation efforts,” Rajendiran said in the news release.
The team also stresses the importance of public awareness in tackling the microplastics issue.
Kim advises consumers to make more eco-friendly choices, such as opting for clothing and textiles with less plastic content, to reduce emissions of microplastics through wastewater.
“While communities must take steps to improve microplastic detection and screening at the wastewater and water quality monitoring, consumers can already make a difference by choosing to buy clothing and textiles with less plastics whenever feasible, knowing that microfibers are the most common microplastic continually released through wastewater,” Kim added.
Funding for this research was provided by UT Arlington’s Research Enhancement Program, which supports multidisciplinary researchers in initiating new projects that address critical environmental issues.