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Low environmental impact remediation of microplastics: Visible-light photocatalytic degradation of PET microplastics using bio-inspired C,N-TiO2/SiO2 photocatalysts
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Researchers developed a new light-powered cleaning method using modified titanium dioxide to break down PET microplastics in water. The process works under visible light at room temperature, making it more practical and environmentally friendly than other cleanup approaches. This matters because PET is one of the most common plastics found polluting waterways.
Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles with sizes between 1 μm and 5 mm with a ubiquitous presence in aquatic ecosystems. MPs harm marine life and can cause severe health problems for humans. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) that involve the in-situ generation of highly oxidant hydroxyl radicals can be an alternative to fight MPs pollution. Of all the AOPs, photocatalysis has been proven a clean technology to overcome microplastic pollution. This work proposes novel C,N-TiO/SiO photocatalysts with proper visible-active properties to degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPs. Photocatalysis was performed in an aqueous medium and at room temperature, evaluating the influence of two pH values (pH 6 and 8). The results demonstrated that the degradation of the PET MPs by C,N-TiO/SiO semiconductors is possible, achieving mass losses between 9.35 and 16.22 %.
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Low Environmental Impact Remediation of Microplastics: Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of PET Microplastics Using Bio-Inspired C,N-TiO2/SiO2 Photocatalysts
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Researchers developed bio-inspired carbon and nitrogen co-doped TiO2/SiO2 photocatalysts capable of degrading PET microplastics under visible light, offering a low-energy alternative to UV-based photocatalysis for remediating microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.
Unravelling the photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene microplastics with TiO2 under UV light: Evidence from kinetic studies
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Researchers demonstrated that a titanium dioxide photocatalyst under UV light can break down polyethylene microplastics, achieving 34% mass loss in 8 hours and up to 54% over five treatment cycles. The process physically shrank the particles and chemically transformed them into simpler compounds like short-chain acids and carbon dioxide. While not yet ready for large-scale use, this technology could eventually help degrade microplastics in water treatment systems.
Indirect daylight oxidative degradation of polyethylene microplastics by a bio-waste modified TiO2-based material
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Researchers developed an innovative method to break down polyethylene microplastics using a titanium oxide-based material combined with biowaste, requiring only indirect daylight rather than direct UV or heat. The approach achieved measurable oxidative degradation of the chemically resistant plastic under ambient conditions. The study suggests this low-energy photocatalytic method could be a practical tool for treating microplastic pollution in environmental settings.
Photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene microplastics by copper-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles
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Researchers investigated photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene microplastics using copper-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles as an efficient approach to breaking down aquatic plastic pollution, addressing the limitations of conventional removal methods that only achieve surface-level reduction.
TiO₂-based photocatalytic degradation of microplastics in water: Current status, challenges and future perspectives
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This review examines how titanium dioxide-based materials can break down microplastics in water using light energy, generating reactive molecules that dismantle plastic polymer chains. While promising, the technology still faces challenges with efficiency and potential harmful byproducts, and more research is needed before it can be used at scale to clean microplastics from real-world water supplies.
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