Bundschuh, Mirco
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Microplastics in the environment are either a product of the fractionation of larger plastic items or a consequence of the release of microbeads, which are ingredients of cosmetics, through wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of microbeads that may be released by the latter pathways to surface waters using Ljubljana, Slovenia as a case study. For this purpose, microbeads contained in cosmetics were in a first step characterized for their physical properties and particle size distribution. Subsequently, daily emission of microbeads from consumers to the sewerage system, their fate in biological WWTPs and finally their release into surface waters were estimated for Ljubljana. Most of the particles found in cosmetic products were
Keywords
Cosmetics; Freshwater; Microplastics; Polyethylene microbead
Published in
Chemosphere
2017, volume: 188, pages: 25-31
SLU Authors
Global goals (SDG)
SDG6 Clean water and sanitation
SDG14 Life below water
UKÄ Subject classification
Other Natural Sciences
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.08.131
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/86684