Risk factors and characteristics of microplastics in the hospital wastewater treatment plant

Abstract

Plastic products are widely used globally, leading to their extensive presence in various wastewaters, water resources, and the environment, which poses environmental risks. Wastewater treatment plants are a significant source of the entry and release of microplastics into the environment. This study aims to investigate the abundance, shape, size, color, type of polymer, and risk of microplastic hazards in the hospital wastewater treatment plant. Samples were passed through stainless-steel sieves, and the digestion process was carried out using an H2O2 solution. Then, NaCl was used based on density to separate microplastics. The study utilized FESEM analysis to examine the surface morphology of microplastics and FTIR analysis to identify the type of polymer present in them. A semi-quantitative risk assessment model based on the polymers making up the microplastics was used to calculate the production risk of polymers present in the wastewater of wastewater treatment plant. The study found that the most common shape of microplastic particles in hospital wastewater treatment plant was fiber, and the predominant polymer identified in the microplastics of the wastewater was polypropylene. The hazard risk associated with certain polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, and polyethylene, was found to be higher than the standard rate obtained from other studies. Therefore, the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant is an important source of microplastics entering the environment, which requires assessment and investigation of the environmental risks and impacts associated with it.