Microbial composition of biofilm treating wastewater rich in bisphenol A.

Although microbial degradation plays a major role in the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) from water environments, there is little information on the effect of BPA on microorganisms in wastewater treatment systems. The aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of the microbial communities in biofilm growing on porous ceramic supports in a column up-flow reactor during exposure to BPA at increasing concentrations from 0 to 10 mg L-1. Independent of BPA load, the efficiency of BPA removal was about 90%. Groups of microorganisms that differ in their sensitivity to the presence of BPA in wastewater were identified. The core microbial genera in the biofilm were Acidovorax, Pseudoxanthomonas and Acinetobacter. Arenimonas sp., Thauera sp. and Acidobacterium sp. were the main components of the biofilm in the absence of BPA in wastewater. Increased abundances of Pseudomonas sp., Acidovorax sp. and Luteimonas sp. in BPA-exposed biofilm indicate that these genera may have played important roles in BPA biodegradation. A correlation between Pseudomonas sp. abundance and BPA removal efficiency indicates that BPA was used directly as a source of carbon and energy for growth. This study indicates that the use of the biofilm reactor enables effective BPA removal from wastewater and expands knowledge about the microbial structure of communities responsible for BPA degradation.

Impact of High-Nitrogen Leachate on Microfauna of Aerobic Granular Sludge.

The microfauna communities present in aerobic granular sludge reactors (e.g., granule sludge batch reactor or GSBR) that are used to treat landfill leachate were studied to determine which taxons are useful as process performance indicators. Communities were analyzed during four periods: a stable reactor operation period at a temperature of 29 °C, a transitional period of biomass adaptation at a temperature of 25 °C, an additional period of stable reactor operation at 25 °C, and at 25 °C after a period of lowered dissolved oxygen concentration. The results indicate that Vorticella infusionum and telotrochs were the taxons most sensitive to environmental changes in the GSBR, showing potential as biological indicators of ammonium overload and process destabilisation. Other taxons had similar abundance, despite changing environmental conditions in the bioreactor.

Hydrogenotrophic denitrification process efficiency and the number of denitrifying bacteria (MPN) in the sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) with platinum and carbon anodes.

This work reports on the effect of electric current density and anode material (platinum, carbon) on the concentration of oxidized and mineral forms of nitrogen, on physical parameters (pH, redox potential, electrical conductivity) and the number of denitrifying bacteria in the biofilm (MPN). Experiments were conducted under anaerobic conditions without and with the flow of electric current (with density of 79 mA · m(-2) and 132 mA · m(-2)). Results obtained in the study enabled concluding that increasing density of electric current caused a decreasing concentration of nitrate in the reactor with platinum anode (R1) and carbon anode (R2). Its concentration depended on anode material. The highest hydrogenotrophic denitrification efficiency was achieved in R2 in which the process was aided by inorganic carbon (CO2) that originated from carbon anode oxidation and the electrical conductivity of wastewater increased as a result of the presence of HCO3(-) and CO3(2-) ions. Strong oxidizing properties of the platinum anode (R1) prevented the accumulation of adverse forms of nitrogen, including nitrite and ammonia. The increase in electric current density affected also a lower number of denitrifying bacteria (MPN) in the biofilm in both reactors (R1 and R2). Metal oxides accumulated on the surface of the cathode had a toxic effect upon microorganisms and impaired the production of a hydrogen donor.

Bacterial communities in full-scale wastewater treatment systems.

Bacterial metabolism determines the effectiveness of biological treatment of wastewater. Therefore, it is important to define the relations between the species structure and the performance of full-scale installations. Although there is much laboratory data on microbial consortia, our understanding of dependencies between the microbial structure and operational parameters of full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is limited. This mini-review presents the types of microbial consortia in WWTP. Information is given on extracellular polymeric substances production as factor that is key for formation of spatial structures of microorganisms. Additionally, we discuss data on microbial groups including nitrifiers, denitrifiers, Anammox bacteria, and phosphate- and glycogen-accumulating bacteria in full-scale aerobic systems that was obtained with the use of molecular techniques, including high-throughput sequencing, to shed light on dependencies between the microbial ecology of biomass and the overall efficiency and functional stability of wastewater treatment systems. Sludge bulking in WWTPs is addressed, as well as the microbial composition of consortia involved in antibiotic and micropollutant removal.

Temperature-induced changes in treatment efficiency and microbial structure of aerobic granules treating landfill leachate.

This paper investigates the effect of temperature on nitrogen and carbon removal by aerobic granules from landfill leachate with a high ammonium concentration and low concentration of biodegradable organics. The study was conducted in three stages; firstly the operating temperature of the batch reactor with aerobic granules was maintained at 29 °C, then at 25 °C, and finally at 20 °C. It was found that a gradual decrease in operational temperature allowed the nitrogen-converting community in the granules to acclimate, ensuring efficient nitrification even at ambient temperature (20 °C). Ammonium was fully removed from leachate regardless of the temperature, but higher operational temperatures resulted in higher ammonium removal rates [up to 44.2 mg/(L h) at 29 °C]. Lowering the operational temperature from 29 to 20 °C decreased nitrite accumulation in the GSBR cycle. The highest efficiency of total nitrogen removal was achieved at 25 °C (36.8 ± 10.9 %). The COD removal efficiency did not exceed 50 %. Granules constituted 77, 80 and 83 % of the biomass at 29, 25 and 20 °C, respectively. Ammonium was oxidized by both aerobic and anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria. Accumulibacter sp., Thauera sp., cultured Tetrasphaera PAO and Azoarcus-Thauera cluster occurred in granules independent of the temperature. Lower temperatures favored the occurrence of denitrifiers of Zooglea lineage (not Z. resiniphila), bacteria related to Comamonadaceae, Curvibacter sp., Azoarcus cluster, Rhodobacter sp., Roseobacter sp. and Acidovorax spp. At lower temperatures, the increased abundance of denitrifiers compensated for the lowered enzymatic activity of the biomass and ensured that nitrogen removal at 20 °C was similar to that at 25 °C and significantly higher than removal at 29 °C.

Nitrogen-converting communities in aerobic granules at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and operational modes.

This study determined how the activity and number of nitrogen-converting microorganisms varied with changes in hydraulic retention time (HRT) and the operating regime of aerobic granular sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) treating high-nitrogen wastewater. Continuously aerated (O-mode) GSBRs were operated at HRTs of 10-, 13- and 19-h. Then the same reactors were operated at identical HRTs but the cycles started with an anoxic phase (A/O mode). To investigate the microbial communities, DNA- and RNA-based relative real-time PCR was used. In all experimental reactors ammonium was fully removed with a removal rate up to 75 mg N-NH4 (+)/(L·h), and nitrification efficiency was above 90 %. The efficiency of the removal of oxidized nitrogen forms decreased with the lengthening of HRT. The study found that variable oxic conditions (A/O mode) in the GSBR cycle stimulated the simultaneous activity of ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB), N2O-reducers, and Anammox bacteria in aerobic granules. With both modes, the activity of nitrogen-converting bacteria was highest with a 13-h HRT. Shortening HRT, resulted in higher chemical oxygen demand and nitrogen loadings, which favored the growth of Anammox microorganisms in granules and caused a decrease in the number of AOB. With all HRTs, the number of Anammox microorganisms was about 1.5-times higher in A/O mode than in O mode.

Structure and microbial diversity of biofilms on different pipe materials of a model drinking water distribution systems.

The experiment was conducted in three model drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) made of unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC), silane cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes to which tap water was introduced. After 2 years of system operation, microbial communities in the DWDSs were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, heterotrophic plate count, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The most extensive biofilms were found in HDPE pipes where bacteria were either attached to mineral deposits or immersed in exopolymers. On PEX surfaces, bacteria did not form large aggregates; however, they were present in the highest number (1.24 × 10(7) cells cm(-2)). PVC biofilm did not contain mineral deposits but was made of single cells with a high abundance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can be harmful to human health. The members of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were found in all biofilms and the water phase. Sphingomonadales and Methylophilaceae bacteria were found only in PEX samples, whereas Geothrix fermentans, which can reduce Fe(III), were identified only in PEX biofilm. The DNA sequences closely related to the members of Alphaproteobacteria were the most characteristic and intense amplicons detected in the HDPE biofilm.

Cycle length and COD/N ratio determine properties of aerobic granules treating high-nitrogen wastewater.

Aerobic granule characteristic in sequencing batch reactors treating high-nitrogen digester supernatant was investigated at cycle lengths (t) of 6, 8 and 12 h with the COD/N ratios in the influent of 4.5 and 2.3. The biomass production (Y obs) correlated with the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in grams per COD removed. Denitrification efficiency significantly decreased as the amount of EPS in biomass increased, suggesting that organic assimilation in EPS hampers nitrogen removal. Granule hydrophobicity was highest at t of 8 h; the t has to be long enough to remove pollutants, but not so long that excessive biomass starvation causes extracellular protein consumption that decreases hydrophobicity. At a given t, reducing the COD/N ratio improved hydrophobicity that stimulates cell aggregation. At t of 6 h and the COD/N ratio of 2.3, the dominance of 0.5-1.0 mm granules favored simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and resulted in the highest nitrogen removal.

Microplastics in granular sequencing batch reactors: Effects on pollutant removal dynamics and the microbial community.

This study investigated the relationship between microplastic (MP) presence and pollutant removal in granular sludge sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs). Two types of MPs, polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), were introduced in varying concentrations to assess their effects on microbial community dynamics and rates of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic compound removal. The study revealed type-dependent variations in the deposition of MPs within the biomass, with PET-MPs exhibiting a stronger affinity for accumulation in biomass. A 50 mg/L dose of PET-MP decreased COD removal efficiency by approximately 4 % while increasing P-PO4 removal efficiency by around 7 % compared to the control reactor. The rate of nitrogen compounds removal decreased with higher PET-MP dosages but increased with higher PE-MP dosages. An analysis of microbial activity and gene abundance highlighted the influence of MPs on the expression of the nosZ and ppk1 genes, which code enzymes responsible for nitrogen and phosphorus transformations. The study also explored shifts in microbial community structure, revealing alterations with changes in MP dose and type. This research contributes valuable insights into the complex interactions between MP, microbial communities, and pollutant removal processes in GSBR systems, with implications for the sustainable management of wastewater treatment in the presence of MP.

Tire materials disturb transformations of nitrogen compounds and affect the structure of biomass in aerobic granular sludge reactors.

Tire materials (TMs) present a notable hazard due to their potential to release harmful chemicals and microplastics into the environment. They can infiltrate wastewater treatment plants, where their effects remain inadequately understood, raising concerns regarding their influence on treatment procedures. Thus, this study investigated the impact of TMs in wastewater (10, 25, 50 mg/L) on wastewater treatment efficiency, biomass morphology, and microbial composition in aerobic granular sludge (AGS) reactors. TM dosage negatively correlated with nitrification and denitrification efficiencies, reducing overall nitrogen removal, but did not affect the efficiency of chemical-oxygen-demand removal. The presence of TMs increased the diameter of the granules due to TM incorporation into the biomass. The most frequently leached additives from TMs were N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine, benzothiazole (BTH), and 2-hydroxybenzothiazole. In the treated wastewater, only BTH and aniline were detected in higher concentrations, which indicates that tire additives were biodegraded by AGS. The microbial community within the AGS adapted to TMs and their chemicals, highlighting the potential for efficient degradation of tire additives by bacteria belonging to the genera Rubrivivax, Ferruginibacter, and Xanthomonas. Additionally, our research underscores AGS's ability to incorporate TMs into biomass and effectively biodegrade tire additives, offering a promising solution for addressing environmental concerns related to TMs.

Configuration of biological wastewater treatment line and influent composition as the main factors driving bacterial community structure of activated sludge.

The structure of microbial consortia in wastewater treatment facilities is a resultant of environmental conditions created by the operational parameters of the purification process. In the research, activated sludge from nine Polish wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was investigated at a molecular level to determine the impact of the complexity of biological treatment line and the influent composition on the species structure and the diversity of bacterial consortia. The community fingerprints and technological data were subjected to the canonical correspondence and correlation analyses. The number of separated biological processes realized in the treatment line and the presence of industrial wastewater in the influent were the key factors determining the species structure of total and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in biomass. The N2O-reducers community composition depended significantly on the design of the facility; the highest species richness of denitrifiers was noted in the WWTPs with separated denitrification tanks. The contribution of industrial streams to the inflow affected the diversity of total and denitrifying bacterial consortia and diminished the diversity of ammonia oxidizers. The obtained data are valuable for engineers since they revealed the main factors, including the design of wastewater treatment plant, influencing the microbial groups critical for the stability of purification processes.

Anode Modification with Fe2O3 Affects the Anode Microbiome and Improves Energy Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Powered by Wastewater.

This study investigated how anode electrode modification with iron affects the microbiome and electricity generation of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) fed with municipal wastewater. Doses of 0.0 (control), 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 g Fe2O3 per the total anode electrode area were tested. Fe2O3 doses from 0.05 to 0.2 g improved electricity generation; with a dose of 0.10 g Fe2O3, the cell power was highest (1.39 mW/m2), and the internal resistance was lowest (184.9 Ω). Although acetate was the main source of organics in the municipal wastewater, propionic and valeric acids predominated in the outflows from all MFCs. In addition, Fe-modification stimulated the growth of the extracellular polymer producers Zoogloea sp. and Acidovorax sp., which favored biofilm formation. Electrogenic Geobacter sp. had the highest percent abundance in the anode of the control MFC, which generated the least electricity. However, with 0.05 and 0.10 g Fe2O3 doses, Pseudomonas sp., Oscillochloris sp., and Rhizobium sp. predominated in the anode microbiomes, and with 0.2 and 0.4 g doses, the electrogens Dechloromonas sp. and Desulfobacter sp. predominated. This is the first study to holistically examine how different amounts of Fe on the anode affect electricity generation, the microbiome, and metabolic products in the outflow of MFCs fed with synthetic municipal wastewater.

Multi-faceted analysis of thermophilic anaerobic biodegradation of poly(lactic acid)-based material.

Currently, the production of bio-based polymeric materials, of which poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is the most popular, has been increasing, causing the growth of PLA waste in municipal waste. Thus, it is necessary to develop sustainable methods for treating it. Methane production, resulting from anaerobic digestion (AD), is a potential end-of-life scenario for PLA waste that needs to be investigated. To obtain high efficiency of AD, thermophilic fermentation was applied, and to overcome low rates of biodegradation, hydrothermal (HT) and alkaline (A) pretreatments were used. For a deep insight into the process, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and microscopic and microbial analyses (based on 16S rDNA) were applied. For both untreated (PLA) and pretreated (PLAHT, PLAA) samples a high maximal methane production (MP) of 453 L/kg volatile solids (VS) was obtained, almost 100 % of the theoretical methane yield from PLA. The use of pretreatment allowed shortening of the time for obtaining maximal MP, especially the hydrothermal pretreatment, which shortened the overall time of MP 1.3-fold, and methane was produced at an almost 10 % higher rate (8.35 vs 7.79 L/(kg VS·d)). However, DSC and microscopic analyses revealed that, in all cases, methane was intensively produced i) after the reduction of the molecular mass of the PLA material and ii) also when PLA pieces were not visible. This should be considered when designing the operational time for the AD process. Parallel to the gradual biodegradation of PLA, the abundances of Firmicutes, Thermotogae, and Euryarcheota increased. With PLAHT, Syntrophobacteraceae, Thermoanaerobacteraceae, and methanogens were identified as potential key thermophilic PLA biodegraders.

Does biochar in combination with compost effectively promote phytostabilization of heavy metals in soil under different temperature regimes?

The article presents the effect of a combined amendment, i.e., biochar+compost (BC), on the process of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn immobilization in soil cultivated with L. perenne under freezing and thawing conditions (FTC). In particular, the speciation analysis of the examined elements in phytostabilized soils based on their response using the sequential extraction, and the variability of the soil microbiome using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were systematically assessed. Metal stability in soils was evaluated by the reduced distribution index (Ir). Plants were grown in pots for 52 days under greenhouse conditions. After termination, phytostabilization was continued in a temperature chamber for 64 days to provide FTC. As a result, it was noted that biomass yield of L. perenne was promoted by BC (39 % higher than in the control pots) and reduced by FTC (45 % lower than in the BC-enriched soil not exposed to FTC). An efficacious level of phytostabilization, i.e., higher content of heavy metals in plant roots, was found in the BC-enriched soil, regardless of the changes in soil temperature conditions. BC improved soil pH before applying FTC more than after applying FTC. BC had the greatest impact on increasing Cu stability by redistributing it from the F1 and F2 fractions to the F3 and F4 fractions. For most metals, phytostabilization under FTC resulted in an increase in the proportion of the F1 fraction and a decrease in its stability. Only for Pb and Zn, FTC had greater impact on their stability than BC addition. In all soil samples, the core genera with about 2-3 % abundances were Sphingomonas sp. and Mycobacterium sp. FTC favored the growth of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria in soil. Microbial taxa that coped well with FTC but only in the absence of BC were Rhodococcus, Alkanindiges sp., Flavobacterium sp., Williamsia sp. Thermomonas sp.

Effect of freeze-thaw manipulation on phytostabilization of industrially contaminated soil with halloysite nanotubes.

The latest trends in improving the performance properties of soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) relate to the possibility of using raw additives, including halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) due to eco-friendliness, and inexpensiveness. Lolium perenne L. was cultivated for 52 days in a greenhouse and then moved to a freezing-thawing chamber for 64 days. HNT addition into PTE-contaminated soil cultivated with grass under freezing-thawing conditions (FTC) was tested to demonstrate PTE immobilization during phytostabilization. The relative yields increased by 47% in HNT-enriched soil in a greenhouse, while under FTC decreased by 17% compared to the adequate greenhouse series. The higher PTE accumulation in roots in HNT presence was evident both in greenhouse and chamber conditions. (Cr/Cd and Cu)-relative contents were reduced in soil HNT-enriched-not-FTC-exposed, while (Cr and Cu) in HNT-enriched-FTC-exposed. PTE-immobilization was discernible by (Cd/Cr/Pb and Zn)-redistribution into the reducible fraction and (Cu/Ni and Zn) into the residual fraction in soil HNT-enriched-not-FTC-exposed. FTC and HNT facilitated transformation to the residual fraction mainly for Pb. Based on PTE-distribution patterns and redistribution indexes, HNT's role in increasing PTE stability in soils not-FTC-exposed is more pronounced than in FTC-exposed compared to the adequate series. Sphingomonas, Acidobacterium, and Mycobacterium appeared in all soils. HNTs mitigated FTC's negative effect on microbial diversity and increased Planctomycetia abundance.

Microwave radiation and reactor design influence microbial communities during methane fermentation.

The effect of reactor design and method of heating on the efficiency of methane fermentation and composition of microbial communities, especially methanogenic Archaea, were determined. The research was carried out using submerge- and trickling-bed reactors fed with wastewater and the heat supply into the reactors included a convection heating method and microwave radiation. The polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and relative real-time PCR were used in order to assess the biofilm communities. The best fermentation results and the highest abundance of methanogenic Archaea in biomass were observed in microwave heated trickling-bed reactors. The research proved that in reactors of identical design, the application of microwaves enabled a higher fermentation efficiency to be obtained and simultaneously increased the diversity of methanogenic Archaea communities that favors process stability. All the identified sequences of Archaea belonged to Methanosarcina sp., suggesting that species from this genera are susceptible to non-thermal effects of microwaves. There were no effects from microwaves on the bacterial communities in both types of reactors, however, the bacterial species composition varied in the reactors of different design.

Impact of operational parameters on bacterial community in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant.

A bacterial community in activated sludge from a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant was monitored throughout the year with the use of FISH, RISA and DGGE techniques. In the investigated range of temperatures (11.9-21.6 degrees C), a rise in temperature resulted in a lower total bacteria richness, while organic load rate changes from 0.09 to 0.21 g COD x g TSS(-1) x d(-1) were positively correlated with the number of bands in RISA patterns. The most diverse pattern (29 different bands) was characteristic for the activated sludge sample collected at the end of January at wastewater temperature of 11.9 degrees C. The ammonia-oxidising bacteria community did not change during the study, and comprised of 4 different bacterial populations with one dominant species closely related to Nitrosospira sp. REGAU (GenBank accession number AY635572.1). The percentage of ammonia-oxidising bacteria in the activated sludge varied from 6.2 to 19.5% and depended on temperature (R = 0.61, p = 0:02) and organic load rate (R = -0.55, p = 0.04).

Nitrogen removal from wastewater and bacterial diversity in activated sludge at different COD/N ratios and dissolved oxygen concentrations.

The impact of the organic carbon to nitrogen ratio (chemical oxygen demand (COD)/N) in wastewater and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration on carbon and nitrogen removal efficiency, and total bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities in activated sludge in constantly aerated sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) was determined. At DO of 0.5 and 1.5 mg O2/L during the aeration phase, the efficiency of ammonia oxidation exceeded 90%, with nitrates as the main product. Nitrification and denitrification achieved under the same operating conditions suggested the simultaneous course of these processes. The most effective nitrogen elimination (above 50%) was obtained at the COD/N ratio of 6.8 and DO of 0.5 mg O2/L. Total bacterial diversity was similar in all experimental series, however, for both COD/N ratios of 6.8 and 0.7, higher values were observed at DO of 0.5 mg O2/L. The diversity and abundance of AOB were higher in the reactors with the COD/N ratio of 0.7 in comparison with the reactors with the COD/N of 6.8. For both COD/N ratios applied, the AOB population was not affected by oxygen concentration. Amplicons with sequences indicating membership of the genus Nitrosospira were the determinants of variable technological conditions.

Coagulation and Flocculation before Primary Clarification as Efficient Solutions for Low-Density Microplastic Removal from Wastewater.

Microplastic (MP) removal from wastewater was investigated using various types and doses of commercial coagulants (PIX, PAX) and flocculants (FPM, PEL, FCT) before primary clarification in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Dosing with FPM, PIX, and PEL caused small MPs (180-212 µm) to be transferred mainly to the settled sludge (up to 86.4% of MP at a dose of 5 mL FMP/m3), while dosing of FCT and PAX caused these MPs to be transferred to the floated sludge (up to 64% MP at a dose of 5 mL PAX/m3). The efficiency of MP removal from wastewater was the highest (90%) with 2.5 mL PAX/m3; the generated primary sludge had a low MP content and could be safely managed in subsequent stages of sludge treatment. At the highest doses, PIX significantly increased the removal of P-PO4 (up to 94%) and COD (up to 73%). FPM and FCT resulted in over 40% efficiency of ammonium removal-such disturbance in wastewater composition may negatively affect further biological treatment. Effective removal of MP in the mechanical part of WWTP resulting from coagulation and flocculation enables the safe use of the excess sludge for agricultural purposes.

The fate of microplastic in sludge management systems.

Sewage sludge (SS) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is commonly used as a soil amendment on agricultural land; however, this sludge contains microplastics (MPs) which harm soil ecosystems and can leach into aquatic environments. This review aims to assess the fate of MPs in SS systems and, in the context of a changing agricultural scene, present alternatives for sustainable SS disposal that are consistent with the practices of a clean, circular economy. Anaerobic digestion and composting, which are commonly used to stabilize SS before land application, were not reported to substantially affect MP removal, although process efficiency and the microbiome were affected by MPs. Alternatively, MPs can be destroyed or removed by mono-incineration or combustion, but unfortunately, some MPs may remain in the ash after these processes. Therefore, the most desirable solutions would prevent MPs from entering the environment and remove them before they enter the biological part of a WWTP, where they build up in SS. Additionally, the management of MP-containing sludge must be adapted to the geographical context and the local economy, and it should begin with legislation addressing MPs in SS. The information presented here will help to develop good practices in waste management for preventing or decreasing the transfer of MPs into the environment.