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Fate and transformation of microplastics due to electrocoagulation treatment: Impacts of polymer type and shape
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Researchers tested how electrocoagulation, a cost-effective water treatment method, removes and transforms different types and shapes of microplastics. They found that the technique removed over 88 percent of microplastics overall, with fibers being captured more effectively than fragments. The treatment also caused physical and chemical changes to the plastic surfaces, indicating that electrocoagulation both removes and partially degrades microplastic pollutants.
The prevalence and adverse impacts of microplastics requires the identification of science-based abatement measures. Electrocoagulation treatment is a cost-effective oxidation process that removes numerous pollutants, including to some extent, microplastics. The performance of a custom-built electrocoagulation reactor was determined by calculating the removal efficiency. The effects of the oxidation process on polymer types (polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP)) and shapes (fibres and fragments) were investigated in synthetic wastewater and laundry wastewater. The calculated removal efficiency suggested that electrocoagulation treatment was an effective technology for microplastics abatement. More fibres tended to be removed than fragments, viz. 92% fibres removed versus 88% fragments. The findings also demonstrated that specific polymers were preferentially removed, viz. PET > LDPE > PP > PA. Further analysis indicated that the electrocoagulation treatment affected microplastic polymers physically, viz. flaking and changed surface conditions, as well as chemically, viz. changes in vibrational energies of C-O-C stretching bonds, C=O stretching bonds, C-H stretching bonds and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our findings indicate that whilst seemingly effective, electrocoagulation treatment induces changes to microplastic polymers that could beneficially lead to degradation, and/or further fragmentation or breakdown and thereby potentially generating more bioavailable toxic nanoplastic byproducts.
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Researchers investigated the use of electrocoagulation to enhance water quality parameters and remove microplastics from water, comparing primary and secondary microplastic types. They found that electrocoagulation effectively reduced microplastic concentrations alongside other water quality parameters, demonstrating its potential as an integrated treatment technology for microplastic-contaminated water.
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This review provides a comprehensive look at electrocoagulation, an electricity-based water treatment technique that can remove a wide range of pollutants including microplastics from wastewater. The analysis covers decades of research showing the method is effective, relatively low-cost, and environmentally friendly compared to chemical treatments. The authors identify microplastic removal as one of the promising newer applications of this technology.
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