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Microplastic degradation and organic acids recovery via homogeneous catalytic wet air oxidation: Role of redox and Lewis acidity of metal ions
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In lab tests, a copper-based chemical treatment broke down polyethylene microplastics in water heated to 170°C, causing over 98% weight loss and converting more than half the plastic's carbon into carboxylic acids, chemicals that can be reused. The method also worked on other plastic types and real plastic waste samples.
The pervasive accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems poses a growing threat to environmental and human health, yet current advanced oxidation technologies are constrained by inefficiency or reliance on excess oxidants. Here, a homogeneous catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) system using Cu 2 + ions was developed to degrade polyethylene (PE) MPs and simultaneously recover value-added carboxylic acids. The system enables 98.7% weight loss of PE (1.0 g/L) and a liquid-phase total organic carbon of 489 mg/L at 170 °C, substantially outperforming non-catalytic WAO. About 57.1% of the PE carbon is transformed into carboxylic acid species, with a total dicarboxylic acid concentration reaching 186.9 mg/L. The catalyst functions through a synergistic dual-mechanism pathway, consisting of a Cu 2+ /Cu + redox cycle that activates O 2 to generate •OH radicals for C-C bond scission, and Lewis acidity that polarizes C-H and C-C bonds to lower the activation energy for oxidative cleavage, which enables controlled polymer chain scission and stepwise oxidation, including hydroxylation, carbonylation, and carboxylation. The system also exhibits applicability to other MPs or real-world PE-rich plastic waste, with more than 97.7% weight loss. This work establishes CWAO as a promising route that integrates environmental remediation with resource recovery for MPs treatment.
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Decomposition of microplastics using copper oxide/bismuth vanadate-based photocatalysts: Insight mechanisms and environmental impacts
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Researchers developed a light-activated catalyst using copper oxide and bismuth vanadate that can break down microplastics in wastewater. The treatment effectively degraded the plastic surfaces, though the treated water still needed dilution before being safely discharged due to residual chemicals that were harmful to test organisms. This technology could help reduce microplastic levels in wastewater before it reaches rivers and oceans where it enters the food chain.
Electrochemical oxidation of polyethylene microplastics: from efficient removal to sustainable valorization
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Scientists developed a new method that can remove up to 98% of tiny plastic particles from water in just three hours using a special electrical process. Instead of just destroying the plastic waste, this technique turns it into useful chemicals like acids that can be used to make other products. This breakthrough could help clean up plastic pollution in our water while also creating a way to recycle plastic waste into valuable materials.
Rapid activation of microplastics by microwave heating in an aqueous phase: A novel approach for enhanced plastic recycling
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Microwave heating was used to rapidly activate microplastics by partial oxidation, enhancing their subsequent degradation in catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) processes. Graphite particles and hydrogen peroxide during microwave treatment boosted MP reactivity, with aliphatic plastics activating more effectively than aromatic ones.
Effects of Copper(II) Oxide on the Co-Pyrolysis of Waste Polyester Enameled Wires and Poly(vinyl chloride)
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This paper is not about microplastics; it investigates how adding copper oxide during the pyrolysis of waste electrical wires reduces toxic chlorinated pollutants released during copper recovery.
Simultaneous degradation of microplastics and sludge during wet air oxidation
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This study showed that wet air oxidation (WAO) — a high-temperature, high-pressure sludge treatment — can simultaneously break down polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET microplastics along with the sewage sludge they contaminate. All three plastic types were degraded without leaving detectable solid plastic residues, with acetic acid as the primary breakdown product. This is significant because conventional wastewater treatment cannot destroy microplastics, so WAO represents a promising upgrade for eliminating a major environmental release pathway.
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