First quantification of semi-crystalline microplastics in industrial wastewaters

Microplastics enter natural water bodies by a variety of pathways, one of them being wastewater streams. The role of industrial wastewater in overall microplastic emissions has so far only been estimated, because access is usually restricted. This is the first report providing quantitative data on microplastics in industrial wastewaters. The wastewater discharge of three different industrial sites was sampled in the size ranges of small...