Improving anaerobic sludge digestion system combined with high quantity of polystyrene microplastics through adding magnetite

Key Points

• Increased anaerobic digestion efficiency occurs when magnetite is added to sludge containing polystyrene microplastics, suggesting a novel approach to waste treatment.
• A notable 30% increase in methane production was observed after the addition of magnetite in the testing period.
• The analysis involves comparing anaerobic digestion systems with and without magnetite, assessing their respective performances.
• This approach may enable better waste management strategies but requires further examination of microplastics' impact in natural environments.