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Poursat, Baptiste A.J. and Langenhoff, Alette A.M. and Feng, Jiahao and Goense, Julianne and Peters, Ruud J.B. and Sutton, Nora B. (2024) Effect of ultra-high-density polyethylene microplastic on the sorption and biodegradation of organic micropollutants. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 279: 116510. ISSN 0147-6513

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The study investigated the sorption of 21 organic micropollutants to ultra-high density polyethylene particles, before and after aging. The results showed that the biofilm growing on the microplastic surface had a beneficial effect on the sorption and biodegradation of some organic micropollutants.

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Abstract

Microplastics and organic micropollutants are two emerging contaminants that interact with each other in environmental and engineered systems. Sorption of organic micropollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides and industrial compounds, to microplastics can modify their bioavailability and biodegradation. The present study investigated the capacity of ultra-high density polyethylene particles (125 µm in diameter), before and after aging, to sorb 21 organic micropollutants at different environmentally relevant concentration. Furthermore, the biodegradation of these organic micropollutants by a biofilm microbial community growing on the microplastic surface was compared with the biodegradation by a microbial community originating from activated sludge. Among all tested organic micropollutants, propranolol (70%), trimethoprim (25%) and sotalol (15%) were sorbed in the presence of polyethylene particles. Growth of a biofilm on the polyethylene particles had a beneficial effect on the sorption of bromoxynil, caffeine and chloridazon and on the biodegradation of irbesartan, atenolol and benzotriazole. On the other hand, the biofilm limited the sorption of trimethoprim, propranolol, sotalol and benzotriazole and the biodegradation of 2,4-D. These results showed that ultra-high density polyethylene particles can affect both in a positive and negative way for the abiotic and biotic removal of organic micropollutants in wastewater. This project highlights the need for further investigation regarding the interaction between microplastics and organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment.

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Poursat, Baptiste

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Publications

Poursat, Baptiste A.J. and Rempe, Fleur and Pereira, João and Sutton, Nora B. and Ter Heijne, Annemiek (2024) Unravelling the mechanisms of organic micropollutant removal in bio-electrochemical systems: Insights into sorption, electrochemical degradation, and biodegradation processes. Science of the Total Environment, 945: 173932. ISSN 0048-9697

Shi, Xiang and Pereira, Ryan and Uzma and Savage, Laurie and Poursat, Baptiste and Quinn, Dominic and Kostrytsia, Anastasiia and Cholet, Fabien and Smith, Cindy J. and Gauchotte-Lindsay, Caroline and Sloan, William T. and Ijaz, Umer and Vignola, Marta (2024) Microbial stratification and DOM removal in drinking water biofilters: implications for enhanced performance. Water Research, 262: 122053. ISSN 0043-1354