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Analysis of Renewable Energy Utilization Using Solar Power Technology in Eliminating Microplastic Emissions

2022 12 citations

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Researchers investigated solar power-driven microbubble technology as a method for removing microplastics from water, conducting a literature review to evaluate the feasibility of using sunlight and microbubbles to continuously collect and remove plastic particles without chemical or biological reagents or filters. They found that solar-powered microbubble generation offers a promising reagent-free approach to microplastic removal, with solar energy addressing both treatment efficacy and the energy demands of the remediation process.

Due to the growth of plastic manufacturing, slow breakdown rates, and low recycling effectiveness, scientists and the general public are increasingly concerned about plastic contamination in water. The problem is that currently available technologies for removing plastic particles from water are ineffective. This study aims to find a new way to remove microplastics from water using solar power. The approach used in this research is a literature study from previous studies. The proposed method for removing plastic particles in water uses sunlight and microbubbles, which can facilitate the continuous removal of plastic particles in water without chemical or biological reagents or filters. Variables that affect the effectiveness of plastic particle collection and removal of microplastics with glass balls are some of the results of this study. Sunlight focuses on high power density through the glass bulb, stimulating and generating microbubbles on contact. The plastic particles push into the microbubbles, then agglomerate in the microbubbles; conditions in the microbubble are much higher than in the explanation due to the significant difference in density. The novelty of this research is that this method can help overcome chemical pollution in the marine environment because it is simple and can be used effectively with sunlight which requires additional energy or causes mild infection. Future studies can include evaluating the use of microplastic–failure mode and effect analysis methodology along with quantitative methods for effective reduction in the release of microplastics.

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