Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are the important source of micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) and pollutants (e.g. chemicals, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pathogens) in natural environment, where the interaction in these co-existing substances has become an increasing concern. This work outlines the sources of MNPs and their interaction with pollutants in WWTPs, and assesses the potential risks after being discarded into natural environment. The sources of MNPs in WWTPs mainly include personal care products, washing clothes, surface runoff and atmospheric deposition as well as the inherent plastic equipment in WWTPs. MNPs can interact with various pollutants including ARGs and microorganisms, and organic and inorganic chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants antibiotics, and metals mainly through π-π, hydrophobic, electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions and biofilm formation. Additionally, the WWTP conditions (e.g. pH, temperature) and components (e.g. dissolved organic matter, salinity and suspended particulates) can affect the interaction processes by modifying the sorption sites of MNPs and changing the property of MNPs and pollutants. Once being discharged into natural media, the individual and joint toxicological impacts of MNPs and associated pollutants to organisms via ingestion would be induced. As for the knowledge gap, more attentions should be focused on the contribution in various sources of MNPs and their interaction (especially submicron- to micron-size ranges) with ARGs, to improve understanding of the sources and pollution of MNPs and the combined risk with pollutants in natural environment.

摘要

废水处理厂（WWTPs）是自然环境中微（纳米）塑料（MNPs）和污染物（如化学品、抗生素抗性基因（ARGs）和病原体）的重要来源，这些共存物质之间的相互作用已成为越来越多的关注。这项工作概述了 MNP 的来源及其与污水处理厂污染物的相互作用，并评估了被丢弃到自然环境中后的潜在风险。污水处理厂中MNPs的来源主要包括个人护理用品、洗涤衣物、地表径流和大气沉降以及污水处理厂固有的塑料设备。MNPs主要通过π-π、疏水、静电和氢键相互作用和生物膜形成。此外，WWTP 条件（例如 pH 值、温度）和成分（例如溶解有机物、盐度和悬浮颗粒物）可以通过改变 MNP 的吸附位点和改变 MNP 和污染物的性质来影响相互作用过程。一旦排放到自然介质中，MNP 和相关污染物对生物体的单独和联合毒理学影响通过摄入会被诱导。至于知识缺口，应更多地关注 MNP 的各种来源的贡献及其与 ARGs 的相互作用（尤其是亚微米到微米尺寸范围），以提高对 MNP 来源和污染以及与 ARG 的综合风险的理解。自然环境中的污染物。