Towards control strategies for microplastics in urban water
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Towards control strategies for microplastics in urban water Emma Fältström 1,2
&
Stefan Anderberg 1
Received: 6 February 2020 / Accepted: 7 July 2020 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm) is a pollution of growing concern. Microplastic pollution is a complex issue that requires systematic attempts to provide an overview and avoid management solutions that have marginal effects or only move the pollution problem. Substance flow analysis (SFA) has been proposed as a useful tool to receive such an overview and has been put forward as valuable for substance management. However, as the research on microplastics has only emerged recently, detailed and reliable SFAs are difficult to perform. In this study, we use three SFA studies for three pollutants (cadmium, copper and pharmaceuticals) to compare flows and strategies to control the flows. This in order to seek guidance for microplastic management and evaluate potential strategies for controlling microplastics. The analysis shows that there has been rigorous control on different levels to abate pollution from cadmium, copper and pharmaceuticals, but where in the system the major control measures have been carried out differ. For microplastics, there are many potential solutions, both in terms of preventive actions and treatment depending on the type of source. When forming management plans for microplastics, the responsibility for each measure and the impact on the whole urban system should be taken into consideration as well as which receiving compartments are particularly valuable and should be avoided. Keywords Control strategies . Pollution management . Stormwater . Substance flow analysis . SFA . Wastewater . Urban water
Introduction Environmental pollution from a wide range of sources is concentrated in urban areas (Holten Lützhøft et al. 2012), and urban waters, i.e. stormwater and wastewater, are important pathways (Revitt et al. 2013). Microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm) is a new type of pollution that has received increased attention in recent years. The widespread presence of microplastics in the environment seems to have adverse effects on both marine (Cole et al. 2011; Wright et al. 2013) and freshwater biota (Eerkes-Medrano et al. 2015). The research on microplastics has grown rapidly and made important Responsible editor: Robert Duran * Emma Fältström [email protected] 1
Environmental Technology and Management, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
2
Sweden Water Research AB, Ideon Science Park, Scheelevägen 15, SE-223 70 Lund, Sweden
conceptual as well as empirical progress. However, microplastics research is still in its infancy, and research results are often uncertain, and sometimes contradictory. This makes it difficult to develop a sufficiently reliable overview of sources and pathways that can be used as a basis for comprehensive and efficient abatement strategies. Inspired by Sedlak (2017), who argues that there are lessons to
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