Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) generate sewage sludge, which retains ≈95% of the microplastics (MPs) processed in wastewater. The literature describes sewage sludges with MP concentrations ranging between 400 and 170,000 particles kg−1 (dry weight) and when this sludge is applied to land, MPs spread into the environment. As a possible treatment for sewage sludge, this study aims to evaluate the effect of gamma‐rays on the degradation of sludge MPs. The MPs utilized in the experiments are obtained from secondary sewage sludge provided by a municipal treatment facility and they are physic‐chemically characterized (size, shape, composition). MPs are exposed to gamma radiation (γ‐irradiation) at different time intervals and total doses to study the response process in sewage sludge. In particular, they are treated with γ‐irradiation using cobalt‐60 (60Co) at doses ranging from 0 to 116 kGy. In this study, MP degradation can be achieved with a maximum degradation percentage of almost 70%. Concerning the specific degradation, research results show that both MP forms exhibit the same 35% degradation rate. This study not only advances the knowledge of how γ‐irradiation affects MPs, but it also opens a new approach to fight against the global problem of environmental MPs.
Source: Global Challenges
Institutions: University of Pavia, Universidad de Oviedo
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,810
Award: G6327910654
OpenAlex ID: W4410215568