Influence of biodegradable polybutylene succinate and non-biodegradable polyvinyl chloride microplastics on anammox sludge: Performance evaluation, suppression effect and metagenomic analysis

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) has been widely detected in wastewater treatment plants. However, there is a lack of research on its influence on anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) process. Therefore, the effects of polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs on the nitrogen removal performance, microbial community and metabolites of anammox sludge were investigated. Results showed that PBS and PVC MPs reduced the nitrite removal efficiency of the anammox sludge, and PVC1 (0.1 g/L PVC) group was the most significant at 19.2 %. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra showed that PBS2 (0.5 g/L PBS) group increased the polysaccharide content in the anammox sludge. This may be because of the byproduct, which was produce during the biodegradation of PBS MPs, and decrease the agglomeration capacity of sludge, so as to increase the mass transfer. PBS2 group reduced the relative abundance of Methanosaeta (10.18 %) and the methane modules, and stimulated the anammox bacteria Ca. Brocadia (1.17 %) and the relative nitrogen metabolism modules. PVC2 group reduced the relative abundance of Ca. Brocadia (3.02 %), while was enriched Methanosaeta (2.1 %). Non-biodegradable PVC MPs was more harmful to anammox sludge, which would draw attention to the entry of PVC MPs into the anammox system.