Potential for biodegradation of microplastics in thermophilic anaerobic digesters

Jeppe Lund Nielsen; N.K.  Pedersen; Asal Peydaei; Emmanuelle Baudu; Wey Fernando; Leonid Gurevich; Peter Fojan; Reinhard Wimmer; Nadieh de Jonge

Potential for biodegradation of microplastics in thermophilic anaerobic digesters

Jeppe Lund Nielsen^*, N.K. Pedersen, Asal Peydaei, Emmanuelle Baudu, Wey Fernando, Leonid Gurevich, Peter Fojan, Reinhard Wimmer, Nadieh de Jonge

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceeding › Article in proceeding › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

Microplastics have emerged as new environmental pollutants. In this study biodegradation of polypropylene under thermophilic conditions were observed to be several orders higher than in any other environment investigated previously. A series of imaging AFM and SEM revealed presence of oxidation products accumulated on the surface, while spectroscopic analysis of the extracted and concentrated products were analysed by FTIR, Raman and NMR. The spectroscopic analysis revealed important insight into the composition, and a model of the polymer breakage involving formation of integrated cis-configured double bonds (olefins). The findings show a high potential for biodegradation of (micro)plastic in conventional ADs. The results furthermore support the use of applying anaerobic digesters for the treatment of highly energetic household waste with a high content of plastics.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Anaerobic Digestion Conference AD16
Number of pages	4
Publication date	2019
Publication status	Published - 2019
Event	16th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic digestion - Delft, Netherlands Duration: 23 Jun 2019 → 27 Jun 2019 https://www.ad16conference.com/

Conference

Conference	16th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic digestion
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Delft
Period	23/06/2019 → 27/06/2019
Internet address	https://www.ad16conference.com/

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@inproceedings{3919507170f8445497776c0b10b69f34,

title = "Potential for biodegradation of microplastics in thermophilic anaerobic digesters",

abstract = "Microplastics have emerged as new environmental pollutants. In this study biodegradation of polypropylene under thermophilic conditions were observed to be several orders higher than in any other environment investigated previously. A series of imaging AFM and SEM revealed presence of oxidation products accumulated on the surface, while spectroscopic analysis of the extracted and concentrated products were analysed by FTIR, Raman and NMR. The spectroscopic analysis revealed important insight into the composition, and a model of the polymer breakage involving formation of integrated cis-configured double bonds (olefins). The findings show a high potential for biodegradation of (micro)plastic in conventional ADs. The results furthermore support the use of applying anaerobic digesters for the treatment of highly energetic household waste with a high content of plastics.",

author = "{Lund Nielsen}, Jeppe and N.K. Pedersen and Asal Peydaei and Emmanuelle Baudu and Wey Fernando and Leonid Gurevich and Peter Fojan and Reinhard Wimmer and Jonge, {Nadieh de}",

year = "2019",

language = "English",

booktitle = "Anaerobic Digestion Conference AD16",

note = "16th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic digestion ; Conference date: 23-06-2019 Through 27-06-2019",

url = "https://www.ad16conference.com/",

}

TY - GEN

T1 - Potential for biodegradation of microplastics in thermophilic anaerobic digesters

AU - Lund Nielsen, Jeppe

AU - Pedersen, N.K.

AU - Peydaei, Asal

AU - Baudu, Emmanuelle

AU - Fernando, Wey

AU - Gurevich, Leonid

AU - Fojan, Peter

AU - Wimmer, Reinhard

AU - Jonge, Nadieh de

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Microplastics have emerged as new environmental pollutants. In this study biodegradation of polypropylene under thermophilic conditions were observed to be several orders higher than in any other environment investigated previously. A series of imaging AFM and SEM revealed presence of oxidation products accumulated on the surface, while spectroscopic analysis of the extracted and concentrated products were analysed by FTIR, Raman and NMR. The spectroscopic analysis revealed important insight into the composition, and a model of the polymer breakage involving formation of integrated cis-configured double bonds (olefins). The findings show a high potential for biodegradation of (micro)plastic in conventional ADs. The results furthermore support the use of applying anaerobic digesters for the treatment of highly energetic household waste with a high content of plastics.

AB - Microplastics have emerged as new environmental pollutants. In this study biodegradation of polypropylene under thermophilic conditions were observed to be several orders higher than in any other environment investigated previously. A series of imaging AFM and SEM revealed presence of oxidation products accumulated on the surface, while spectroscopic analysis of the extracted and concentrated products were analysed by FTIR, Raman and NMR. The spectroscopic analysis revealed important insight into the composition, and a model of the polymer breakage involving formation of integrated cis-configured double bonds (olefins). The findings show a high potential for biodegradation of (micro)plastic in conventional ADs. The results furthermore support the use of applying anaerobic digesters for the treatment of highly energetic household waste with a high content of plastics.

M3 - Article in proceeding

BT - Anaerobic Digestion Conference AD16

T2 - 16th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic digestion

Y2 - 23 June 2019 through 27 June 2019

ER -

Potential for biodegradation of microplastics in thermophilic anaerobic digesters

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