Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method
Abstract Microplastics (MPs) as an emerging pollutant can affect aquatic organisms through physical ingestion, chemical problems and possible creation of biological layers on their surfaces in the environment. One of the significant ways for MPs to enter the aquatic environment is through the efflue...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47803-4 |
| _version_ | 1797452744325332992 |
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| author | Nahid Azizi Meghdad Pirsaheb Nematollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Ramin Nabizadeh Nodehi |
| author_facet | Nahid Azizi Meghdad Pirsaheb Nematollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Ramin Nabizadeh Nodehi |
| author_sort | Nahid Azizi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Microplastics (MPs) as an emerging pollutant can affect aquatic organisms through physical ingestion, chemical problems and possible creation of biological layers on their surfaces in the environment. One of the significant ways for MPs to enter the aquatic environment is through the effluent discharge of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, first, the concentration and characteristics of MPs in secondary wastewater effluent, and the influential variables related to the coagulation process, for MPs removal were identified using systematic reviews of previous studies. Then, the most proper MPs characterization and coagulation variables were chosen by experts’ opinions using a fuzzy Delphi method. Therefore, the experiment tested in conditions close to the full-scale wastewater treatments. Finally, in the laboratory removal of MPs by coagulation of polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE), < 125 and 300–600 μm in size, was tested by a jar test applying Al2(SO4)3 in doses of 5 to 100 mg/L plus 15 mg/L polyacrylamide as a coagulant aid. Using R and Excel software, the results were analyzed statistically. It was concluded that the maximum and minimum removal efficiency was 74.7 and 1.39% for small PA and large PE, respectively. Smaller MPs were found to have higher removal efficiency. The MPs type PA achieved greater removal efficiency than PS, while PE had the least removal efficiency. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:13:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c43063e753eb433f9b95562566682afc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:13:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-c43063e753eb433f9b95562566682afc2023-11-26T13:15:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-11-011311910.1038/s41598-023-47803-4Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi methodNahid Azizi0Meghdad Pirsaheb1Nematollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi2Ramin Nabizadeh Nodehi3Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesResearch Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesAbstract Microplastics (MPs) as an emerging pollutant can affect aquatic organisms through physical ingestion, chemical problems and possible creation of biological layers on their surfaces in the environment. One of the significant ways for MPs to enter the aquatic environment is through the effluent discharge of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, first, the concentration and characteristics of MPs in secondary wastewater effluent, and the influential variables related to the coagulation process, for MPs removal were identified using systematic reviews of previous studies. Then, the most proper MPs characterization and coagulation variables were chosen by experts’ opinions using a fuzzy Delphi method. Therefore, the experiment tested in conditions close to the full-scale wastewater treatments. Finally, in the laboratory removal of MPs by coagulation of polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE), < 125 and 300–600 μm in size, was tested by a jar test applying Al2(SO4)3 in doses of 5 to 100 mg/L plus 15 mg/L polyacrylamide as a coagulant aid. Using R and Excel software, the results were analyzed statistically. It was concluded that the maximum and minimum removal efficiency was 74.7 and 1.39% for small PA and large PE, respectively. Smaller MPs were found to have higher removal efficiency. The MPs type PA achieved greater removal efficiency than PS, while PE had the least removal efficiency.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47803-4 |
| spellingShingle | Nahid Azizi Meghdad Pirsaheb Nematollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Ramin Nabizadeh Nodehi Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method Scientific Reports |
| title | Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method |
| title_full | Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method |
| title_fullStr | Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method |
| title_full_unstemmed | Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method |
| title_short | Removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using Al2(SO4)3: choosing variables by a fuzzy Delphi method |
| title_sort | removal of most frequent microplastic types and sizes in secondary effluent using al2 so4 3 choosing variables by a fuzzy delphi method |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47803-4 |
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