Unveiling the truth of interactions between microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in wastewater treatment plants: microplastics as a carrier of PFASs and beyond

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dc.contributor.authorMa, Min
dc.contributor.authorCoulon, Frederic
dc.contributor.authorTang, Zhiwen
dc.contributor.authorHu, Zhiyuan
dc.contributor.authorBi, Ye
dc.contributor.authorHuo, Mingxin
dc.contributor.authorSong, Xin
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-16T09:28:29Z
dc.date.available2025-01-16T09:28:29Z
dc.date.freetoread2025-01-16
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.pubOnline2025-01-06
dc.description.abstractMicroplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous contaminants in environments, yet their co-occurrence and interactions remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we confirmed the concurrent presence of MPs and PFASs and their distinct distribution patterns in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) through a comprehensive sampling and analysis effort. Significant correlations (<i>p</i> < 0.05) were observed between specific types of MPs and PFASs, suggesting their shared sources. Moreover, MPs were identified as carriers of PFASs, with PFAS concentration ranging between 122 and 166 ng/g, predominantly consisting of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). The laboratory verification experiment revealed that PFASs could be leached from MPs in aqueous environments, in which commercial MPs exhibited higher leaching potential, with the highest combined concentration of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), PFOA, and PFBA reaching 10.4 ng/mL. PFOS demonstrated a desorption efficiency exceeding 120% in sorption/desorption experiments, confirming its release from the MPs themselves. These results highlighted the dual roles of MPs as both carriers and sources of PFASs. The identified contaminant profiles and correlations between MPs and PFASs across different matrices in WWTP provide valuable insights and form a basis for further research into proactive measures to effectively mitigate their environmental contamination.
dc.description.journalNameEnvironmental Science & Technology
dc.description.sponsorshipBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, National Natural Science Foundation of China, European Commission
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 32061133001), and we acknowledge the cooperation between China and the EU through the EiCLaR project (European Union’s Horizon 2020, no.965945). This work was also supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U20A20322).
dc.description.sponsorshipF.C. acknowledges the funding received through BBSRC NIBB’s Environmental Biotechnology Network (EBNET, grant reference BB/S009795/1
dc.format.extentpp. xx-xx
dc.format.mediumPrint-Electronic
dc.identifier.citationMa M, Coulon F, Tang Z, et al., (2025) Unveiling the truth of interactions between microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in wastewater treatment plants: microplastics as a carrier of PFASs and beyond. Environmental Science & Technology, Available online 6 January 2025
dc.identifier.eissn1520-5851
dc.identifier.elementsID561699
dc.identifier.issn0013-936X
dc.identifier.issueNoahead-of-print
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c08898
dc.identifier.urihttps://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/23387
dc.identifier.volumeNoahead-of-print
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAmerican Chemical Society
dc.publisher.urihttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c08898
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject41 Environmental Sciences
dc.subject4105 Pollution and Contamination
dc.subjectPFASs
dc.subjectco-occurrence
dc.subjectcontaminant carrier
dc.subjectcontaminant source
dc.subjectemerging contaminants
dc.subjectmicroplastics
dc.subjectEnvironmental Sciences
dc.titleUnveiling the truth of interactions between microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in wastewater treatment plants: microplastics as a carrier of PFASs and beyond
dc.typeArticle
dc.type.subtypeJournal Article
dcterms.dateAccepted2024-12-24

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