Aged Fibrous Microplastics

High-concentration aged microplastics alter nitrifying and denitrifying communities in constructed wetlands, reducing NH₄⁺-N removal by 12.85% and increasing NO₃⁻-N removal by 39.44%, while enhancing N₂O and CH₄ emissions.

Zhang, Shiwen · Xie, Huijun · Wu, Haiming · Hu, Zhen · Zhuang, Linlan · Zhang, Jian

Water Research 2025

Specifications

Change in NH₄⁺-N removal

{'zh': '12.85', 'en': '12.85'} %

Change in NO₃⁻-N removal

{'zh': '39.44', 'en': '39.44'} %

Advantages

Reveals risks of aged microplastics

For the first time, fibrous microplastics commonly found in wetlands were aged and tested, showing that high concentrations significantly alter nitrogen removal pathways.

Worsens nitrogen removal

High-concentration aged microplastics reduce ammonium removal, increase nitrate residue, and promote greenhouse gas emissions, indicating impaired wetland function.

Applications

• Constructed wetland management：Alerts that aged microplastic accumulation impairs wetland nitrogen removal, guiding pollution control.
• Agricultural nitrogen management：Increased nitrate in wetland effluent may affect irrigation water quality, requiring adjusted nitrogen management.
• Wastewater treatment：Aged microplastics disrupt biological nitrogen removal, indicating need to consider microplastics in wastewater treatment.
• Nitrogen cycle monitoring：Aged microplastics alter nitrifying/denitrifying communities, affecting nitrogen cycling monitoring parameters.