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Effects of Salinity Level on Microplastic Removal in Simulated Waters Using Agglomeration–Micro-Flotation
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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.
More Papers Like This
Agglomeration–Flotation of Microplastics Using Kerosene as Bridging Liquid for Particle Size Enlargement
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Researchers investigated agglomeration-flotation using kerosene as a bridging liquid to enlarge microplastic particle sizes and improve their removal efficiency via flotation, testing six types of microplastics in the 100-1000 micrometer size range. They found that kerosene dosage significantly affects particle size enlargement and floatability, demonstrating that agglomeration-flotation is a promising approach for overcoming the challenge posed by the small size of microplastics that reduces bubble-particle collision efficiency in conventional flotation.
The preliminary investigation on the microplastic removal using column flotation: effects of kerosene on the floatability of microplastics
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Researchers tested column flotation using kerosene as a collector to remove microplastics from water, finding that the hydrophobic surface properties of microplastics made them amenable to flotation-based separation. The study represents a preliminary investigation into flotation as a novel microplastic removal technique.
Role of Poly(Ionic Liquid) in Aggregation Behavior of Micro‐Particles in Aqueous Solvent
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Researchers synthesized novel polymer-based flocculants (poly(ionic liquids)) that outperformed conventional aluminum-based coagulants in aggregating polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics from natural seawater, even under the high-salinity conditions where conventional treatments fail. Removing microplastics from marine environments is uniquely challenging because salt disrupts standard coagulation chemistry; these metal-free flocculants offer a more effective alternative. The work identifies a promising class of water treatment chemicals specifically suited to saltwater microplastic remediation.
Microplastic removal under different salinity levels using kaolin-assisted coagulation with modified Caryocar brasiliense coagulants
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Researchers tested two plant-based, mineral-assisted treatments to remove tiny polyethylene plastic particles from salty water samples in lab experiments. One treatment, using iron particles, removed about 80% of microplastics and worked well even in real coastal water, while the other removed about 72% but was affected by water acidity and organic matter.
Removal of Micro/Nano-Plastics from Water by Flotation Technology: A Review
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This review covers flotation technology as a method for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water, explaining how dissolved air flotation, electroflotation, and froth flotation work to separate plastic particles. The authors assess performance data across particle sizes and polymer types and identify remaining challenges for scaling these approaches.
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