{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T05:39:47Z","timestamp":1768801187427,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,24]],"date-time":"2024-12-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1734998400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"AGH UST within the framework of the \u201cExcellence Initiative\u2014Research University\u201d program","award":["AGH 16.16.210.476"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["AGH 16.16.210.476"]}]},{"name":"Research Subsidy","award":["AGH 16.16.210.476"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["AGH 16.16.210.476"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Wastewater treatment processes can fragment microplastics (MPs), which may subsequently enter fertilizers applied in agricultural settings. This study aimed to quantify the occurrence of MPs in stabilized sewage sludge intended for fertilizer production. Matrix elimination was performed using an oxidative method to isolate MPs, followed by MPs separation with a saturated salt solution of appropriate density to enhance the accuracy of identification. The resulting samples were analyzed using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to provide the detailed characterization of MPs content. The highest concentrations of MPs were recorded during the months of June, July, and May, with average values of 2942, 2341, and 1746 fragments per 100 g of dry weight, respectively. The analysis revealed that fragments were the dominant morphological form, and low-density polyethylene was the most common polymer type detected. These findings underscore a significant risk of MPs re-emission into the environment through the agricultural application of fertilizers derived from sewage sludge. Such practices may lead to the introduction of between 6110 and 13,889 MPs per square meter of soil, depending on the application rates, thereby posing potential risks to soil health and the broader ecosystem. This study highlights the importance of monitoring MPs content in fertilizers derived from wastewater treatment by-products.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app15010001","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,24]],"date-time":"2024-12-24T04:45:49Z","timestamp":1735015549000},"page":"1","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Assessment of the Presence of Microplastics in Stabilized Sewage Sludge: Analysis Methods and Environmental Impact"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3227-9440","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jagoda","family":"Worek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"AGH University of Krakow, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, 30-059 Krak\u00f3w, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9153-6537","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kamil","family":"Kawo\u0144","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AGH University of Krakow, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, 30-059 Krak\u00f3w, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3792-7876","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Chwiej","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AGH University of Krakow, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, 30-059 Krak\u00f3w, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3786-1405","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Berent","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AGH University of Krakow, Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, 30-059 Krak\u00f3w, Poland"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6993-167X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rosa","family":"Rego","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0092-3772","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Styszko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AGH University of Krakow, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, 30-059 Krak\u00f3w, Poland"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2016.05.018","article-title":"Microplastics in Seafood: Benchmark Protocol for Their Extraction and Characterization","volume":"215","author":"Dehaut","year":"2016","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Harper, C.A., and Petrie, E.M. (2003). Plastics Materials and Processes, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.","DOI":"10.1002\/0471459216"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1126\/science.178.4062.749","article-title":"Polystyrene Spherules in Coastal Waters","volume":"178","author":"Carpenter","year":"1972","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3060","DOI":"10.1021\/es2031505","article-title":"Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification","volume":"46","author":"Gutow","year":"2012","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Plastics Europe (2019). Plastics\u2014The Facts 2019, Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.1700782","article-title":"Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made","volume":"3","author":"Geyer","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"597","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2015.08.027","article-title":"Microplastic in Three Urban Estuaries, China","volume":"206","author":"Zhao","year":"2015","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"324","DOI":"10.5004\/dwt.2021.27505","article-title":"Evaluation of the Stability of Selected Hydroxy Derivatives of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Environmental Samples","volume":"232","author":"Durak","year":"2021","journal-title":"Desalination Water Treat."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.5004\/dwt.2021.27502","article-title":"The Occurrence of Chemicals of Emerging Concern in Samples of Surface Water and Wastewater Collected in Krak\u00f3w, Poland","volume":"232","author":"Styszko","year":"2021","journal-title":"Desalination Water Treat."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L.C.M., Carson, H.S., Thiel, M., Moore, C.J., Borerro, J.C., Galgani, F., Ryan, P.G., and Reisser, J. (2014). Plastic Pollution in the World\u2019s Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea. PLoS ONE, 9.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0111913"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"R867","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2013.09.001","article-title":"Contamination of Beach Sediments of a Subalpine Lake with Microplastic Particles","volume":"23","author":"Imhof","year":"2013","journal-title":"Curr. Biol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2014.02.006","article-title":"The Danube so Colourful: A Potpourri of Plastic Litter Outnumbers Fish Larvae in Europe\u2019s Second Largest River","volume":"188","author":"Lechner","year":"2014","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Worek, J., Badura, X., Bia\u0142as, A., Chwiej, J., Kawo\u0144, K., and Styszko, K. (2022). Pollution from Transport: Detection of Tyre Particles in Environmental Samples. Energies, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/en15082816"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Styszko, K., Durak, J., Ko\u0144czak, B., G\u0142odniok, M., and Borgulat, A. (2022). The Impact of Sewage Sludge Processing on the Safety of Its Use. Sci. Rep., 12.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-16354-5"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.03.368","article-title":"Evidence of Microplastic Accumulation in Agricultural Soils from Sewage Sludge Disposal","volume":"671","author":"Corradini","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"153735","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2022.153735","article-title":"Investigation and Analysis of Microplastics in Sewage Sludge and Biosolids: A Case Study from One Wastewater Treatment Works in the UK","volume":"823","author":"Memon","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"810","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.6b04048","article-title":"Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: Effects of Treatment","volume":"51","author":"Mahon","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Weber, C.J., Santowski, A., and Chifflard, P. (2022). Investigating the Dispersal of Macro- and Microplastics on Agricultural Fields 30 Years after Sewage Sludge Application. Sci. Rep., 12.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-10294-w"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"140016","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.140016","article-title":"Approaching the Environmental Problem of Microplastics: Importance of WWTP Treatments","volume":"740","author":"Sol","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113028","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvman.2021.113028","article-title":"Sewage Sludge as a Source of Microplastics in the Environment: A Review of Occurrence and Fate during Sludge Treatment","volume":"295","author":"Sanin","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Environ. Manag."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126790","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2020.126790","article-title":"Research Progress in Sources, Analytical Methods, Eco-Environmental Effects, and Control Measures of Microplastics","volume":"254","author":"Gong","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2018.05.034","article-title":"Microplastics in Sewage Sludge from the Wastewater Treatment Plants in China","volume":"142","author":"Li","year":"2018","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10777","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.6b04140","article-title":"Are Agricultural Soils Dumps for Microplastics of Urban Origin?","volume":"50","author":"Nizzetto","year":"2016","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2052","DOI":"10.1002\/jctb.6334","article-title":"Microplastics in Soils: A Review of Possible Sources, Analytical Methods and Ecological Impacts","volume":"95","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1016\/S0048-9697(97)00187-3","article-title":"Heavy Metals Input with Phosphate Fertilizers Used in Argentina","volume":"204","year":"1997","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"(2011). Water Quality\u2014Sampling. Part 13: Guidance on Sampling of Sludges (Standard No. ISO 5667-13:2011)."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Bogdan, S. (2024, January 26\u201328). Analysis of the Content, Composition, and Structure of Microplastics Found in Sewage Sludge. Proceedings of the Fifth Edition of the International Conference Energy Fuels Environment (EFE2024), Krakow, Poland."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"140355","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.140355","article-title":"Source, Occurrence, Migration and Potential Environmental Risk of Microplastics in Sewage Sludge and during Sludge Amendment to Soil","volume":"742","author":"Gao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149326","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2021.149326","article-title":"Microplastics in Agricultural Soils, Wastewater Effluents and Sewage Sludge in Mauritius","volume":"798","author":"Ragoobur","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113837","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2019.113837","article-title":"Fate of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants and Their Environmental Dispersion with Effluent and Sludge","volume":"259","author":"Edo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"120689","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2022.120689","article-title":"Assessment and Accumulation of Microplastics in Sewage Sludge at Wastewater Treatment Plants Located in C\u00e1diz, Spain","volume":"317","author":"Franco","year":"2023","journal-title":"Environ. Pollut."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Lusher, A., Hurley, R., Vogelsang, C., Nizzetto, L., and Olsen, M. (2017). Mapping Microplastics in Sludge, NIVA-Norsk Institutt for Vannforskning."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2016.01.006","article-title":"Synthetic Fibers in Atmospheric Fallout: A Source of Microplastics in the Environment?","volume":"104","author":"Dris","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mar. Pollut. Bull."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"236","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2018.01.049","article-title":"Occurrence, Identification and Removal of Microplastic Particles and Fibers in Conventional Activated Sludge Process and Advanced MBR Technology","volume":"133","author":"Lares","year":"2018","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2016.11.046","article-title":"How Well Is Microlitter Purified from Wastewater?\u2014A Detailed Study on the Stepwise Removal of Microlitter in a Tertiary Level Wastewater Treatment Plant","volume":"109","author":"Talvitie","year":"2017","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2016.11.015","article-title":"Identification of Microplastic in Effluents of Waste Water Treatment Plants Using Focal Plane Array-Based Micro-Fourier-Transform Infrared Imaging","volume":"108","author":"Mintenig","year":"2017","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136356","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.136356","article-title":"Microplastic Pollution in a Stormwater Floating Treatment Wetland: Detection of Tyre Particles in Sediment","volume":"713","author":"Ziajahromi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1016\/S0141-3910(03)00105-8","article-title":"Biodegradation of Thermally-Oxidized, Fragmented Low-Density Polyethylenes","volume":"81","author":"Chiellini","year":"2003","journal-title":"Polym. Degrad. Stab."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tsai, J.-C., Lo, Y.-L., Lin, C.-Y., Sheu, H.-M., and Lin, J.-C. (2004). Feasibility of Rapid Quantitation of Stratum Corneum Lipid Content by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry, IOS Press.","DOI":"10.1155\/2004\/401015"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tew, W.Y., Ying, C., Wujun, Z., Baocai, L., Yoon, T.L., Yam, M.F., and Jingying, C. (2022). Application of FT-IR Spectroscopy and Chemometric Technique for the Identification of Three Different Parts of Camellia Nitidissima and Discrimination of Its Authenticated Product. Front. Pharmacol., 13.","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2022.931203"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1590\/S0104-14282009000400011","article-title":"Evaluation of Photodegradation in LDPE\/Modified Starch Blends","volume":"19","author":"Ferreira","year":"2009","journal-title":"Pol\u00edmeros"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gola, A., Ni\u017cniowska, A., and Musia\u0142, W. (2019). The Influence of Initiator Concentration on Selected Properties on Poly-N-Vinylcaprolactam Nanoparticles. Nanomaterials, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/nano9111577"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kamble, M.T., Rudtanatip, T., Soowannayan, C., Nambunruang, B., Medhe, S.V., and Wongprasert, K. (2022). Depolymerized Fractions of Sulfated Galactans Extracted from Gracilaria Fisheri and Their Antibacterial Activity against Vibrio Parahaemolyticus and Vibrio Harveyi. Mar. Drugs, 20.","DOI":"10.3390\/md20080469"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2019.01.033","article-title":"Transfer and Fate of Microplastics during the Conventional Activated Sludge Process in One Wastewater Treatment Plant of China","volume":"362","author":"Liu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. J."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2017.05.053","article-title":"Characterisation of Plastic Microbeads in Facial Scrubs and Their Estimated Emissions in Mainland China","volume":"122","author":"Cheung","year":"2017","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ou, H., and Zeng, E.Y. (2018). Occurrence and Fate of Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants. Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments: An Emerging Matter of Environmental Urgency, Elsevier.","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-813747-5.00010-2"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135826","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2019.135826","article-title":"Foaming at the Mouth: Ingestion of Floral Foam Microplastics by Aquatic Animals","volume":"705","author":"Trestrail","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149140","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2021.149140","article-title":"Adsorption Behaviour and Interaction of Organic Micropollutants with Nano and Microplastics\u2014A Review","volume":"797","author":"Yu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7409","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.8b01517","article-title":"Validation of a Method for Extracting Microplastics from Complex, Organic-Rich, Environmental Matrices","volume":"52","author":"Hurley","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Campanale, C., Massarelli, C., Savino, I., Locaputo, V., and Uricchio, V.F. (2020). A Detailed Review Study on Potential Effects of Microplastics and Additives of Concern on Human Health. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17041212"},{"key":"ref_51","unstructured":"G\u0142odniok, M., Korol, J., Zawartka, P., Krawczyk, B., and Deska, M. (2017). Organic Fertilizer and Method for Obtaining It, Polish Patent Office."},{"key":"ref_52","unstructured":"Ko\u0144czak, B., and Zawartka, P. (2017). Methods for Obtaining of Slow-Releasing Granular Fertilizer. (423664), Polish Patent."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166563","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2023.166563","article-title":"Advanced Technologies for the Determination of Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships and Degradation Efficiency of Micropollutants and Their Removal in Water\u2014A Review","volume":"904","author":"Ratchnashree","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105263","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envint.2019.105263","article-title":"Source, Migration and Toxicology of Microplastics in Soil","volume":"137","author":"Guo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Int."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7137","DOI":"10.1021\/es401288x","article-title":"Life in the \u201cPlastisphere\u201d: Microbial Communities on Plastic Marine Debris","volume":"47","author":"Zettler","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."}],"container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3417\/15\/1\/1\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T16:58:58Z","timestamp":1760115538000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3417\/15\/1\/1"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,24]]},"references-count":55,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]}},"alternative-id":["app15010001"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/app15010001","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3417"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3417","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,24]]}}}