Grantee Research Project Results

Removal of Microplastics from a Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant

EPA Grant Number: SV840832
Title: Removal of Microplastics from a Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant
Investigators: Han, Bangshuai
Institution: Ball State University
EPA Project Officer: Brooks, Donald
Phase: II
Project Period: September 1, 2024 through April 22, 2025
Project Amount: $98,870
RFA: 18th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet Phase 2 (2024) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Clean Water , Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil/Water , P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Urban Air Toxics , Water , Water Quality , Water Treatment

Description:

The project is innovative, sound, and feasible, as a continuation and expansion of the successes achieved in Phase I. The scope of the Phase II study is limited to the collection of wastewater samples for an additional year, and further development of methodology. In combination with the samples collected in Phase I and through the immersive learning course, the overall collection will span at least two years. This extended timeframe will enable us to discern temporal patterns of microplastics and establish correlations between these patterns with climate, season, and water usage pattern.

This one-year sampling plan outlined for Phase II will allow ample time for further refining the methodology and developing a guidance document for the benefit of future researchers and the EPA. A primary focus of the methodology enhancement will involve identifying the optimal digestion dosage, reagent ratio, and reaction time to effectively eliminate OM from wastewater. Addressing this research gap remains crucial as it ensures the efficient utilization of reagents, cost reduction, and mitigation of environmental pollution. More specifically, our Phase II study will conduct a thorough test of the impact of experimental running time and the dosage and ratio of reagents on organic matter removal from wastewater samples. This investigation will serve as a valuable guide for future researchers. Employing optimal dosages and running times minimizes chemical consumption, thereby reducing treatment costs while maintaining effectiveness. Moreover, this approach prevents excessive chemical discharge into the environment, thus mitigating potential adverse effects on ecosystems.

This research aligns well with the P3 approach because it offers solutions to protect the environment, provides science data supporting future innovations of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). While the project is not to be performed to benefit the EPA/US government, it will provide cutting edge research results for the EPA to consider in policy-makings regarding microplastics pollution, and benefits community health. The project will provide educational experience for at least one graduate and 10 – 15 undergraduate students. The research outcomes will be shared to local community partners including the Bureau of Water Quality (BWQ), the WWTP and other interested local parties, and will also be disseminated via local, regional, and international conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Objective:

This project will address the Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research area through the topic “sampling devices to detect, collect, and quantify microplastics in surface water, drinking water, sludge/biosolids and/or discharges from wastewater treatment systems”. The project supports the fourth strategic goal of the EPA’s Strategic Plan: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities.

In the Phase II project, we will build upon the momentum established during Phase I, and focus on four main objectives to: 1) further improve the testing procedures of microplastics, with a specific emphasis on refining the steps of eliminating organic matter (OM) content, 2) continue sample collection, and correlate the temporal patterns of microplastics with climate, season, and water use patterns, 3) train undergraduate and graduate students in STEM research, and 4) disseminate the results, including the creation of a final report intended to guide fellow researchers.

Expected Results:

Continuing the trajectory set by the Phase I project, this Phase II project further embodies the P3 approach by exploring deeper into the possibility of human exposure to microplastic contaminants within wastewater treatment systems. The Phase II project also permits the optimization of microplastics research steps in similar contexts for this emerging contaminant of concerns. By identifying the optimal dosage of chemical reagents, the methodology will increase testing efficacy and cost-effectiveness, and minimize the environmental impact by curtailing the excessive chemical release into the environment. The outcomes of the research will inform stakeholders and decision makers, empowering them to make the best judgement when upgrading WWTPs and establishing legislative regulations. The activities in this project will produce new data and discoveries while simultaneously providing a multidisciplinary educational foundation and opportunities for professional and personal development.

The project will give both graduate assistants and undergraduate students the opportunity to learn new skills; communicate with peers through project development, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed publications; and receive solid STEM training. Specifically, it will provide the graduate student with scientific training in hydrology, statistical analysis, and engineering water treatment as well as with experience in mentoring undergraduate assistants. It also will expose undergraduate students to cutting-edge research and train them in data analysis skills. All students will be encouraged to present their outcomes at local, regional, and international conferences and learn how to prepare poster and oral presentations for the science community and the general public. All students will be trained in academic writing through publishing results in peer-reviewed publications. The knowledge, skills, and research experience students obtain from this project will help them prepare for future academic careers and pursue jobs in water resources engineering and management, water quality management, and other environmental fields.

Understanding the microplastics removal rates and paths in wastewater treatment processes iscritical for making compliance regulations regarding microplastics removal that will protect andimprove the environment and public health. The streamlined methodology developed in this researchcould be deployed by other researchers and community partners; it will be tested for microplasticsremoval efficiency and pinpoint which treatment stage is most efficient. Future designs of wastewatertreatment processes that incorporate these findings will increase benefit to the environment. The long-term monitored data also will reveal the relationships of microplastics to flow rate and the season andwater consumption pattern of the local community, providing solid data for scientists and decision-makers to better understand the occurrence and sources of microplastics.

Supplemental Keywords:

design for the environment, sustainable water management, water treatment, measurement methods

P3 Phase I:

Removal of Microplastics from a Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant  | 2023 Progress Report  | Final Report