Microplastics (MPs) which have dimensions less than 5 mm, have started to hold a significant place in environmental research for the last 5 years due to realization of their unrestrained spread in high numbers in nature and negative impacts on ecosystem and human health. MPs reach wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in high amounts, and despite their unintentional high removal rates, large numbers of MPs are still released into the environment with the effluent due to their very high number in the influent wastewater. Moreover, most of the MPs that reach WWTPs accumulate in sludge which is a residue that forms as an energy rich by-product of wastewater treatment. Recent studies have shown negative impacts of MP on biogas generation from sludge that can be used to provide a significant portion of energy used during wastewater treatment in WWTPs, so this study, based on the experiments that showed promising results by our team for MP degradation, aims to deteriorate MPs by using pancreatin and lipase enzymes so that their negative effects in sludge treatment are eliminated.

In the scope of this project, after the characterization of the sludge collected from ASKİ, pancreatin and lipase's effects on sludge and PET will be investigated further by applying the optimum doses and time intervals. Thus, we want to observe some visible changes in the PET and develop an effective pretreatment method with the help of enzymes. In this way, we aim to bring a new study to literature about potential biodegradation of MPs in sludge using promising and strong enzymes, pancreatin, and lipase suggested by the literature; therefore, to be a pioneer in the field for the other studies. Additionally, we will also help save a renewable energy source, sludge, from the negative effects of MPs.

Our research group consists of environmental engineering students Göksu Yurtseven, İpek Ayça, Ayşe İzgi Onur, who are 4th-grade students, and Kıymet Eda Sakınmaz, Elif Nurhan Güzel, who are Master's Degree students. Our research group is completed by our advisor, Prof. Dr. Dilek Sanin, and our supervisor İrem Şimşek, a Master's Degree student.

This project is being funded by AdımODTÜ.