We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Enhanced microplastic removal using a mini-hydrocyclone with microbubbles
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers improved microplastic separation from water by combining mini-hydrocyclones with microbubble injection, finding that the microbubbles reduced apparent microplastic density and substantially improved separation efficiency for particles with densities similar to water.
Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent in aquatic environments and pose a serious risk to human health through the adsorption of toxic substances and entry into the food chain. Therefore, the development of effective removal strategies is essential. Mini-hydrocyclones (MHCs) offer a promising solution for MP separation owing to their high throughput, rapid processing, and low maintenance. However, their performance diminishes when interacting with MPs with densities similar to that of water. To overcome this problem, microbubbles (MBs) have been introduced to reduce the apparent density of MPs and improve their separation efficiency. Nevertheless, the interactions between MPs and MBs within the complex flow of MHCs remain poorly understood, highlighting the need for further investigation and optimization. This study examined the MP separation performance of an MHC under varying flow rates, MB concentrations, and surface charge conditions. High-speed visualization revealed strong MB-MP attachment, even within the short residence time of the MHC, and confirmed that the air core plays a central role in the separation dynamics. Under optimal conditions (300 mL/min and 55,500 MBs/mL), the MP separation efficiency improved by up to 34 % compared to tests without MBs. Conversely, excessive MB concentrations or low flow rates led to unstable or oversized air cores, disrupting the internal flow and reducing the efficiency. Moreover, the system successfully achieved density-based separation of mixed high- and low-density MPs through MB-assisted underflow and overflow collection. Furthermore, additional experiments using dryer-derived microfibers confirmed the applicability of this system to water treatment scenarios. These findings advance our understanding of MB-assisted separation mechanisms and help define practical operating conditions. These results demonstrate the potential of the MHC system as a compact and scalable solution for decentralized water treatment applications.
More Papers Like This
Comparative study of the performance of conventional and modified hydrocyclones in the removal of microplastics in aqueous media.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared the performance of conventional and modified hydrocyclone designs for removing microplastics and nanoplastics from aqueous media, evaluating design modifications that could improve separation efficiency given growing evidence of microplastic ingestion risks to humans and animals.
Micro-Nanobubble Integrated Dissolved Air Flotation: A High-Efficiency Strategy for Microplastic Mitigation in Wastewater
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers optimized a dissolved air flotation system using combined micro- and nanobubbles and achieved up to 97% removal of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics from synthetic wastewater, outperforming either bubble size alone by enhancing bubble-particle interactions and promoting hydrophobic floc formation.
High-efficiency microplastic removal in water treatment based on short flow control of hydrocyclone: Mechanism and performance
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed an improved mini-hydrocyclone device that removes over 98% of microplastics from water, a 34% improvement over conventional designs. The device uses tiny overflow channels to prevent small plastic particles from escaping during the separation process. This technology could be scaled up for industrial water treatment, helping to remove microplastics before treated water reaches the environment or drinking water supplies.
The Standard and Reverse Mode Operation of a Hydrocyclone for Microplastic Separation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested whether hydrocyclones — low-cost centrifugal separation devices — could efficiently separate microplastics from water, finding that particles denser than water were captured in standard mode while lighter particles required reverse mode operation. The system effectively separated all four test microplastic types based on density, suggesting hydrocyclones are a scalable, low-energy option for removing microplastics from industrial and municipal water streams.
Enrichment of microplastic pollution by micro-nanobubbles
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated micro-nanobubbles as a novel technique for concentrating and removing microplastic pollution from water, finding that bubble-particle interactions can significantly enrich microplastic concentrations and offer a promising avenue for remediation.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.