Identification of microplastics in wastewater effluent using validated approaches and effects of wastewater-based microplastics on aquatic organisms

Presenter: Shima Ziajahromi (PhD Candidate, Griffith University)

Wastewater treatment plants have been identified as an important source of microplastics to the aquatic environment. However, the lack of standardized methods to sample and characterize wastewater-based microplastics has often led to inaccurate estimation of microplastics. Moreover, concerns have been raised about the presence of wastewater-based microplastics (e.g. beads and fibres) in the aquatic environment and their potential adverse effects on aquatic biota.

This talk will highlight some of my PhD work on developing new methods to sample and confidently characterize microplastics in wastewater effluent with minimum bias and application of the technique to provide a snapshot of the removal of microplastics during different wastewater treatment processes (i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary) in NSW plants. Results from recent experiments on the toxic effects of wastewater-based microplastics on a freshwater organism (Ceriodaphnia dubia) will also be presented.