How Well Are Micro-plastics Removed from Wastewater - Detailed Study on Wastewater Treatment Plants in Iskandar Malaysia

Problem Statement

It is evident that untreated sewage is hazardous to both people and the environment. In order to conserve the environment and ensure a sustainable future, people need to watch out on the menace posed by the impact of untreated sewage on the quality of the environment and on the health of the people. Micro-plastics are very much into the spotlight since they pose a great threat to the environment and human health. A study shows that about twenty-five thousand tons of plastics are floating in seas and oceans and when sunlight and waves act on these plastics, they disintegrate into very small particles which can be ingested by marine animals (Magnusson & Noren, F. 2014). There has been a growing interest in the removal of micro-plastics from wastewater treatment plants globally, however, there are some challenges since many sewage treatment plants are not designed to remove the micro-plastics from wastewater.

Data to be discussed in this study will majorly dwell on the measures to be taken to effectively remove micro-plastics from wastewater and various methods of determining micro-plastics in effluents of wastewater treatment plants. The study mainly focuses on a case study of water treatment plants in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor wastewater treatment plants.

Hypothesis

Do wastewater treatment processes help in the process of microplastics removal? By removing micro plastics we are just solving the problem of water pollution whereas we are creating another one of soil pollution.

It is hypothesized that there is no relationship between the concentrations of micro-plastics in the marine environment and the wastewater treatment plants effluent discharge. In some studies, it has been found out that the final effluents of wastewater treatment plants possess some micro-plastics.

Research Questions

Can wastewater treatment plants be effective in removing all the micro-plastics?

Is it possible to stop micro-plastics from getting into the effluents of wastewater treatment plants?

How are micro-plastics introduced in waterways?

How do micro plastics affect the environment and livings things?

Literature review

Micro-Plastics in Wastewater

Currently little is known about the efficiency of micro-plastics removal in sewage treatment plants. This is mainly because of the low density which makes a considerable part of the plastics to remain floating. A pilot study showed that almost ninety percent of the influent contained micro plastics but after going through the sewage treatment process it was found out that twenty particles per liter were present in the effluent (Roex et al., 2011). Some light particles such as nylon and polyethylene cannot be removed using sedimentation tanks and will eventually end up in the drift layer. Primary settlement and additional of flocculants do not also necessarily remove these light particles

Sources of Micro-plastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Traditionally used scrubbers such as pumice and almonds are not commonly used nowadays and have been replaced with modern scrubbers. These modern micro plastic scrubbers have polyethylene granules in small amounts (Cole, 2011). These micro-plastics will find their way into the aquatic environment through industrial or domestic drainage systems. Some will find their way through the wastewater treatment plants whereby some micro-plastics will not be trapped and will eventually escape to the waterways or the aquatic environment.

Characteristics of Micro-plastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Mostly, wastewaters are the major contributors of micro-plastics one of them being the cleaning products which contain large fragments of polyethylene. In a recent study, most of the micro-plastic elements were found to be from detergents, fiber from washed clothes, cosmetics, and weathered particulates. (Burkard, 2014). In another study, it was seen that a piece of garment can produce more than 2000 micro plastic fiber in a single wash.

Cleaning Strategies in Wastewater Treatment Plants

The spread of Micro-plastics majorly is related how wastewater is treated. Nowadays the removal of micro-plastics is not 100% efficient but since filters in wastewater treatment plants are designed to remove large particles hence allowing the passage of micro-plastics. Studies show that micro-plastics can't be removed by conventional means and that tertiary filtration is a more efficient method of removing micro-plastics from wastewater although it isn't 100% effective. One of the best filtration methods is the use of a sand filter which retains most of the micro-plastics.

Wastewater treatment flow diagram

Objectives

To evaluate the contributing processes for micro-plastics removal from wastewater during different wastewater treatment steps.

Identification of micro-plastics in effluents of wastewater treatment plants.

To develop a method to quantify and characterize wastewater-based micro-plastics in the effluent from wastewater treatment plants.

Methodology

Introduction

The sewage treatment plant in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor wastewater treatment plants began construction on May 25, 2009, and was completed on October 27, 2009. The area has an increased demand for water since the government has decided to focus on agriculture and modern farming. The major source of water supply is the river, Sungai Johor, and this is not sufficient since it represents fifty-five percent of the total water demand. Due to this deficient, wastewater treatment plants in Johor supply treated water to Iskandar Malaysia increasing water in that area.

Research Strategy

The study is based mainly on questionnaires and interviews with the workers on the plant and the people around the wastewater treatment plants.

Population and Sampling Design

Population:-The population equivalent of the area is 166,667 (stage 1), 500,000 (ultimate). This study focuses mainly on the plant workers. The population in the area ensures that the findings of the study are correct

Sampling method: - Since it is not that practical to interview each and every person in the area, this study mainly focuses on the plant workers and people with knowledge on the wastewater treatment plants. The people selected to act as a sample and help in saving time and resources. To get the exact number of workers was a challenge because of its operating structure. Top management in the plants in this area is majorly involved in order to know whether the respondents had a good knowledge of the processes that go on the plants.

Sources of Data Collection

Primary: - One of the main primary sources of data suitable for this study is the survey questionnaire. This will help get the area physically, psychologically, and economically. This will is important since it will include what people do hence know the main sources of micro-plastics. The other primary source of data suitable is Interview guide. This is of great importance as the experts in the plants can be interviewed on how they identify whether there are micro-plastics in effluents in the wastewater treatment plants.

Secondary: - Secondary data in this study came from books and journals. This is helpful in gaining knowledge of the research questions

Data Collection and Administration

Pilot Study:-Pilot study is helpful in adjusting questions so that they can be understandable to respondents. The languages to be used are determined by this pilot study. Appropriateness of the scales of the study is determined by this pilot study.

Fieldwork and Data Collection:-In the case where respondents have problems in answering the questionnaires, they are offered explanations. Also, permission for data collection from the plants' top management is important.

Data Analysis Techniques

Data about wastewater treatment technique in this study is going to involve a number of tests. The sample of effluent discharge is to undergo various tests in order to observe the behavior of microplastics.at the end of the tests, one is able to identify micro-plastics in effluents of wastewater treatment plants, and also to characterize wastewater based on micro-plastics. Various samples are taken before and after the wastewater treatments. Sampling is done by filtering device which is based on in-situ fractionation.

The suitable target sample is 1 meter cubic of the effluent sample. In the analysis of the samples, a stereo microscope is the best to examine the samples. During the examining, all the particles which were seen as micro-plastics are written and classified.

References

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Carr, S. A., Liu, J., & Tesoro, A. G. (2016). Transport and fate of micro-plastic particles in wastewater treatment plants. Water Research, 91, 174-182.

Ewing, J., & Domondon, K. (2016). Drought, Pollution and Johors Growing Water Needs. ISEAS Perspective, 47, 1-10.

Filipovic, M., & Berger, U. (2015). Are perfluoroalkyl acids in wastewater treatment plant effluents the result of primary emissions from the technosphere or of environmental recirculation?. Chemosphere, 129, 74-80.

Gouveia, R., Antunes, J., Sobral, P., & Amaral, L. (2018). Micro-plastics from Wastewater Treatment PlantsPreliminary Data. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Micro-plastic Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea (pp. 53-57). Springer, Cham.

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Magnusson, K., & Noren, F. (2014). Screening of micro-plastic particles in and down-stream a wastewater treatment plant.

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Teh, S. Y., Koh, H. L., Lee, E., Woo, W. T., & Tan, W. K. (2017, November). Faecal coliform simulation on sewage discharge for an environmentally sustainable township in Medini Iskandar Johor Malaysia. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1905, No. 1, p. 040028). AIP Publishing.

Ziajahromi, S., Neale, P. A., & Leusch, F. D. (2016). Wastewater treatment plant effluent as a source of micro-plastics: a review of the fate, chemical interactions and potential risks to aquatic organisms. Water Science and Technology, 74(10), 2253-2269.

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