Led by Dr. Judy Lee and Marie Enfrin from the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Surrey and Dr. Ludovic Dumée at Deakin's Institute for Frontier Materials, the project investigated nano and microplastics in water and wastewater treatment processes. The team found that tiny pieces of plastic break down further during treatment processes, reducing the performance of treatment plants and impacting on water quality. The study was published in the Journal of Water Research.
There has been a substantial study of microplastics pollution, but their interaction with water and wastewater treatment processes had not been fully understood until now.
Approximately 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year globally, and up to 13 million tons of that is released into rivers and oceans, contributing to approximately 250 million tons of plastic by 2025. Since plastic materials are not generally degradable through weathering or aging, this accumulation of plastic pollution in the aquatic environment creates a major concern.
The research highlights the current difficulty in detecting the presence of nano and microplastics in treatment systems. In order to ensure water quality meets the required safety standards and to reduce threats to our ecosystems, new detection strategies are needed with the aim of limiting the number of nano and microplastics in water and wastewater treatment systems.
Dr. Lee, Project Lead and Senior Lecturer at the University of Surrey, said: "The presence of nano and microplastics in water has become a major environmental challenge. Due to their small size, nano and microplastics can easily be ingested by living organisms and travel along with water and wastewater treatment processes. In large quantities, they impact the performance of water treatment processes by clogging up filtration units and increasing wear and tear on materials used in the design of water treatment units."Source-Eurekalert
Water Matters: Why You Need to Drink Enough Water Everyday
Water is essential to balance body fluids, boost brain function, improve digestion, prevent kidney stones, regulate body temperature, and control cholesterol. The required water intake for adult men and women is 3.7 and 2.7 liters per day.
Water is essential to balance body fluids, boost brain function, improve digestion, prevent kidney stones, regulate body temperature, and control cholesterol. The required water intake for adult men and women is 3.7 and 2.7 liters per day.
Watery-Eyes - Causes - Symptoms - Signs - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
Excess tearing may cause a sensation of watery eyes or result in tears falling down the cheek. Obstruction of tear drainage path can lead to stasis and is also a reason for watery eyes.
Excess tearing may cause a sensation of watery eyes or result in tears falling down the cheek. Obstruction of tear drainage path can lead to stasis and is also a reason for watery eyes.
Water - Nutrient that Beats the Heat | Summer Nutrient-Water
Dehydration, acidity, loss of energy are common problems that often occur due to insufficient water consumption, especially in summer.
Dehydration, acidity, loss of energy are common problems that often occur due to insufficient water consumption, especially in summer.
