Microplastics Slip Through Wastewater Treatment, Posing Health Risks

Despite the upgrading of wastewater treatment, microplastics continue to flow through treatment plants with lasting health and environmental consequences. According to The University of Texas at Arlington's report, small plastic fragments smaller than five millimeters in diameter are not being wiped out by technology used by treatment plants.

Microplastics created by the breakdown of plastic products used in everyday products like packaging, clothes, and cosmetics have emerged as an environmental issue. These products at the end of their life cycle do not biodegrade. Instead, they disintegrate into minute fragments that get into the air and find their way into water bodies, land, and even the atmosphere.

Research conducted at UT Arlington has revealed that although wastewater treatment plants reduce the load of microplastics, they still exist in treated water, which is potentially harmful. The microplastics are capable of transporting leftover harmful chemicals such as Bisphenols, PFAS, and antibiotics. The chemicals, even in very small quantities, have the capability to accumulate in human systems and cause serious health issues such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

One of the key challenges in addressing this issue is that there are no standardized testing procedures to measure and quantify microplastics. The study underlines the need for a concerted effort to design microplastics and develop better detection technology to optimize wastewater treatment processes. There are varying methods from place to place and from plant to plant, resulting in disparate efficiency throughout. This hinders proper monitoring of the true level of microplastic in water supplies.

Increased public awareness and consumer pressure are also recommended by authors as ways to address the issue. People can be more environmentally friendly in their behavior, for instance, by purchasing fewer plastic-packaged garments, which can reduce the amount of microfibers released via wastewater when washing clothes.

The study requires more stringent action from individuals and communities to reduce microplastic pollution. The study requires the invention of wastewater treatment technology and regular microplastic testing procedures. Individuals can reduce the long-term health and environmental impacts of microplastics through improved methods and environmentally friendly choices.

Source: Jenny Kim Nguyen et al, A review on microplastic fibers and beads in wastewater: The current knowledge on their occurrence, analysis, treatment, and insights on human exposure impact, Science of the Total Environment (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178818