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Effects of Salinity Level on Microplastic Removal in Simulated Waters Using Agglomeration–Micro-Flotation
Summary
This study developed and tested an "agglomeration-micro-flotation" technique for removing microplastics from water of varying salinity — fresh, brackish, and seawater. By using kerosene as a bridging agent to make small plastic particles clump together, combined with fine-bubble flotation, the system achieved up to 99% removal of six common polymer types. Higher salinity actually improved performance by stabilizing the bubbles needed for flotation. The dual benefit of kerosene — enhancing plastic removal and being combustible for energy recovery — makes this approach particularly attractive for sustainable water treatment design.
This study investigates the removal of microplastics (MPs) from simulated freshwater, brackish water, and seawater using a novel agglomeration–micro-flotation technique. This method combines particle size enlargement, facilitated by kerosene as a bridging agent, with bubble size reduction through column flotation to enhance the removal rate. Six common MP types—polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)—were evaluated under varying salinity levels and kerosene dosages. Results showed that increasing kerosene dosage significantly improved removal rates, achieving up to ~99% recovery at 10 µL for low- and medium-density MPs (PP, PE, ABS, and PS), while a higher dosage of 30 µL was required for high-density MPs (PET and PVC). Elevated salinity levels (50–100%) promoted bubble stabilization and reduced coalescence, enhancing particle–bubble collisions and the overall flotation performance. This work addresses a key research gap in flotation-based MP removal under saline conditions and highlights the dual benefits of using kerosene—not only to enhance the removal rate but also to enable energy recovery, as both kerosene and plastics are combustible. The proposed technique presents a promising approach for microplastic remediation in aquatic environments, supporting sustainable water treatment and circular resource utilization.