We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Leaching of Waste Pharmaceutical Blister Package Aluminium in Sulphuric Acid Media
Summary
Not relevant to microplastics — this study investigates hydrometallurgical methods for recycling aluminium from pharmaceutical blister packs using sulphuric acid, with no connection to plastic particle pollution.
In this study, the leaching behaviour of aluminium from waste pharmaceutical blister packages (WPBs) is investigated in sulphuric acid media to build future strategies for aluminium recycling from this non-recycled waste fraction. The results suggest that in hydrometallurgical recycling, passivation of aluminium during leaching can be mitigated in dilute sulphuric acid solutions (0.25 M), at high temperatures (60–80 °C) and specifically with H2O2 addition. With this system, 100% extraction was achieved within five hours under optimized conditions (H2SO4 = 0.25 M, T = 80 °C, H2O2 = 1.25 vol.%). The leaching mechanism is suggested to be based on electrochemical dissolution of metallic aluminium oxidized by H+ or H2O2, followed by fast passivation by Al2O3 and consequent chemical dissolution of Al2O3 at slower kinetics. The calculated activation energy (~69 kJ/mol) suggests that the leaching reaction is controlled by the chemical or electrochemical reaction step rather than diffusion. By WPB leaching, an aluminium sulphate solution could be obtained, suitable for further aluminium sulphate crystallization. This may provide a potential route for the valorisation of aluminium from a currently overlooked waste fraction of pharmaceutical blister packages.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Environmental Impact of Treatment of Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials
Researchers assessed the environmental impact of treating pharmaceutical packaging materials at end of life, comparing incineration, recycling, and landfill pathways for plastics used in medicine packaging.
Microplastic sample purification methods - Assessing detrimental effects of purification procedures on specific plastic types
Researchers assessed how common microplastic purification methods affect different polymer types, finding that acidic and alkaline digestion can degrade certain plastics like polycarbonate and polyamide, potentially leading to underestimation in environmental samples.
A simple method to prepare anion exchange membrane by PVA/EVOH/MIDA for acid recovery by diffusion dialysis
Not relevant to microplastics — this study develops polyvinyl alcohol-based anion exchange membranes for acid recovery from industrial wastewater via diffusion dialysis, with no connection to microplastic pollution.
Stepwise flotation separation of WEEE plastics by polymeric aluminum chloride towards source control of microplastics
Researchers developed a stepwise flotation separation process using polymeric aluminum chloride to sort and recover mixed plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), demonstrating improved separation efficiency and positioning the approach as a strategy to reduce microplastic pollution from e-waste mismanagement.
Microplastics and nanoplastics in water: Improving removal in wastewater treatment plants with alternative coagulants
Laboratory tests showed that conventional aluminum sulfate (alum) coagulant becomes much less effective at removing micro- and nanoplastics from water at pH above 7.8—a common condition in municipal wastewater—but switching to aluminum chlorohydrate largely restores removal efficiency. This matters because wastewater treatment plants are a critical barrier preventing microplastics from entering rivers and oceans, and many currently use alum. The study gives water utilities a practical, drop-in solution to significantly improve microplastic capture under challenging water chemistry.