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Utilizing Chlorella vulgaris algae as an eco-friendly coagulant for efficient removal of polyethylene microplastics from aquatic environments
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Researchers tested the green algae Chlorella vulgaris as an eco-friendly coagulant for removing polyethylene microplastics from water. Using optimized experimental conditions, they achieved a removal rate of nearly 99% under the best parameters. The study suggests that algae-based coagulation offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to chemical methods for cleaning microplastic-contaminated water.
Polyethylene (PE) microplastics (MPs) are small particles of plastic made from polyethylene, which is a commonly used type of plastic. These microplastics can be found in water sources, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. They are typically less than 5 mm in size. () is an excellent, simple and inexpensive biocoagulant that can effectively remove a wide range of pollutants through the coagulation and flocculation mechanism. In this study, algae were used to remove PE MPs. The experiments were designed using the Behnken Box model. The evaluated parameters were the initial PE concentration (100-400 mg/L), the dose (50-200), and the pH (4-10). The findings showed that increasing the concentration of polyethylene had a positive effect on the efficiency of removal. In addition, the dose of and pH parameters were inversely and directly related to removal efficiency, respectively. The highest removal efficiency was observed under alkaline conditions. Overall, the maximum PE removal efficiency was 84 % when the concentration of PE was 250 mg/L, the dose of was 50 mg/L, and the pH was 10. It can be concluded that algae can be used as an environmentally friendly coagulant for effectively removing MPs from aquatic environments.
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