Microplastic, anthropogenic fibre, and plasticizer retention by integrated constructed wetlands

Warren, Richard James (2024) Microplastic, anthropogenic fibre, and plasticizer retention by integrated constructed wetlands. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Microplastic, anthropogenic fibre and plasticizer pollution from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent is an emerging environmental issue, as conventional sewage treatments typically cannot remove these contaminants. Integrated constructed wetlands (ICWs) are gaining increased interest as a promising technology for sustainable wastewater treatment, and previous research has shown that they effectively remove nutrients, but there is little known about their performance for treating emerging contaminants. Addressing this deficiency, an improved laboratory methodology for detecting microplastics and anthropogenic fibres in organic-rich wastewater and sediment samples was developed. Then, to assess the anthropogenic fibre removal performance of ICWs, a 12-month field campaign (May 2022–May 2023) was conducted involving collection of water samples at approximately monthly intervals from two ICWs (Northrepps and Ingoldisthorpe) of different ages (constructed in 2014 and 2018, respectively) in Norfolk, UK, which received sewage effluent with contrasting levels of prior treatment. Additionally, sediment samples were collected across the wetland cells to reveal storage areas within ICWs. This was supported by high frequency monitoring (hourly) over a 12-hour period to assess temporal dynamics in removal performance at the Northrepps ICW. The results revealed that ICWs can receive highly variable loads of anthropogenic fibres and microplastics, depending on the level of WWTP treatment and the time of sampling, although over 99 % were consistently retained by both ICWs, with the majority stored within the first cell. A further field campaign was conducted over six months (January–June 2024) to assess phthalate removal performance of the ICWs. The results indicated some potential for phthalate removal by adsorption to sediment and plant uptake, but further research is required. This thesis advances understanding of ICWs by demonstrating their ability to retain significant loads of microplastics and anthropogenic fibres, with implications for future wetland design and maintenance to minimize long-term leakage of these pollutants.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Nicola Veasy
Date Deposited:	24 Jun 2025 08:36
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2025 08:36
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/99690
DOI:

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