We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Unlocking the Hidden Potential of Cold Plasma Technology for Combating Microplastic Pollution in Aqueous Environments
Summary
Microplastics, tiny plastic bits that pollute our water and can end up in our bodies, are hard to clean up with current methods, which often waste energy or create new pollution. This review paper rounds up existing research on "cold plasma," a technology that uses charged gas particles to break down microplastics into harmless carbon dioxide and water without burning them or using harsh chemicals. While the approach shows real promise as a cleaner way to tackle plastic pollution in water, the researchers note it's still facing technical hurdles before it can be used widely in the real world.
The rapid increase in utilization of plastics has led to serious environmental concerns because of their reduced recycling efficiency and persistence. Their mismanagement results in the building up of plastic waste in water bodies and upon degradation, they form microplastics (MPs) that are not only a threat to mankind and aquatic life, but also contribute to global warming. Traditional treatment methods like chemical depolymerization, incineration and landfilling are energy demanding and often lead to secondary pollution and toxicity issues. As an emerging, non-thermal and advanced oxidation process (AOP), cold plasma technology (CPT) enables rapid MPs degradation by generating reactive species that performs chain scission and fragmentation to mineralize MPs into CO2 and H2O. This review paper highlights a comprehensive account on the application of CPT in mitigating microplastics from various aqueous environments. The present review emphasizes microplastic sources, different plasma discharge methods, the working mechanism of cold plasma in microplastic degradation, and the technical factors affecting process efficiency. The review further focuses on current engineering challenges and technical limitations which restrict the real-world application of plasma technology for microplastics degradation.