Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Chemical Recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Driven by the Use of Protic Ionic Liquids: A Strategy to Mitigate Microplastic Pollution

Researchers explored using environmentally friendly ionic liquids to chemically recycle PET microplastics through hydrolysis, recovering the raw material terephthalic acid. The most effective ionic liquid achieved over 80% PET conversion under relatively mild conditions compared to traditional chemical recycling methods. The study suggests that protic ionic liquids could offer a sustainable, less hazardous approach to breaking down PET microplastic waste.

2025 Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Reciclagem química conduzida pelo uso de líquidos iônicos, como estratégia para mitigar a poluição por microplásticos

This study used low-toxicity ionic liquids to chemically recycle PET microplastics under mild temperature and pressure conditions. Ionic liquids offer a greener alternative to the harsh solvents typically needed for chemical recycling. The approach could help address microplastic pollution by providing a more environmentally friendly way to break down and recover value from tiny plastic particles that are difficult to collect and recycle by conventional means.

2024 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Solvent-free chemical upcycling of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) and poly(lactic acid) plastic waste using SBA-15-functionalized basic ionic liquids

Researchers developed a solvent-free method to break down polycarbonate and polylactic acid plastic waste into their original building-block chemicals. The study used specially designed catalysts based on ionic liquids attached to a porous silica framework. The findings suggest this approach could support a more circular economy by efficiently converting plastic waste back into valuable raw materials without requiring harmful solvents.

2024 Green Chemistry 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Catalytic Amounts of an Antibacterial Monomer Enable the Upcycling of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Waste

Scientists developed a new method to recycle PET plastic waste (commonly used in bottles) into high-value antibacterial material using only small amounts of a special monomer. This approach addresses both plastic pollution and the need for antimicrobial materials, while avoiding the biotoxicity problems of traditional metal-based antibacterial agents. The technique represents a promising way to upcycle plastic waste rather than simply discarding it.

2023 Advanced Materials 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Process Optimization of Solvents Assisted Polyethylene Waste Recycling

Researchers optimized solvent-based chemical recycling of polyethylene plastic waste to recover high-quality recycled material. The study demonstrates that chemical recycling can be tuned to maximize yield and quality, offering a scalable alternative to mechanical recycling that degrades plastic properties over time.

2023 FUDMA Journal of Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Structural decay of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by enzymatic degradation

Researchers examined the structural decay of poly(ethylene terephthalate) through enzymatic degradation as a sustainable recycling strategy, finding this approach requires neither energy nor harsh solvents, offering a promising path for addressing microplastic pollution from PET products.

2025 Polymer Journal
Article Tier 2

Single-Step Electrochemical Upcycling of PET: Waste to Value-Added Chemicals, Oral Presentation

Researchers developed a single-step electrochemical method to upcycle PET plastic waste into value-added chemicals and organic materials, targeting the over 70% of plastic that ends up in landfills or oceans where it breaks down into microplastics.

2024 ECS Meeting Abstracts
Article Tier 2

Strategies for Electrochemical Recycling of Plastic Polyethylene Terephthalate‐Derived Ethylene Glycol Into High‐Value Chemicals

This paper reviews new methods for recycling PET plastic waste, the most common plastic in bottles and packaging, using electricity from renewable sources. By converting PET-derived chemicals into high-value products through electrocatalysis, this approach could help reduce both plastic pollution and microplastic contamination in the environment.

2025 Advanced Energy Materials 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Management of Microplastic Pollutions from PET Bottles: Overview and Mitigation Strategies

Researchers reviewed the environmental impact of PET bottle degradation and strategies for managing the resulting microplastic pollution. The study highlights that PET bottle usage continues to grow, and its breakdown releases low-molecular-weight compounds and microplastics, while outlining mitigation approaches including improved recycling and waste management practices.

2025 Applied Sciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Process parameter optimization for waste polyethylene terephthalate bottle depolymerization using neutral hydrolysis

Researchers optimized process parameters for the neutral hydrolysis depolymerization of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as a chemical recycling strategy to address growing plastic waste accumulation in landfills. The study identified key conditions that improve depolymerization efficiency, offering a pathway to recover high-quality monomers from post-consumer PET.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress on chemical depolymerization and upcycling of PET waste plastics

This review examines recent advances in chemical methods for breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste plastics into useful raw materials. Researchers surveyed techniques including glycolysis, methanolysis, hydrolysis, and aminolysis that can convert PET back into monomers for reuse. The study highlights chemical depolymerization as a promising approach to reduce plastic pollution while recovering valuable materials from waste.

2025 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Process development for PETase production and purification

Researchers developed a production and purification process for PETase, an enzyme capable of breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic biologically, as an alternative to inadequate mechanical and chemical recycling methods for mixed and contaminated PET waste. The study addresses the global plastic pollution crisis by advancing the scalability of enzymatic PET degradation as a sustainable recycling pathway.

2024
Article Tier 2

Efficient extraction of polystyrene nanoplastics from water using an ionic liquid

Researchers developed an ionic liquid-based extraction method for efficiently removing polystyrene nanoplastics from water samples. The technique achieved high recovery rates and demonstrated effectiveness for capturing particles at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study offers a promising analytical and remediation tool for addressing nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An Oxalate‐Bridged Binuclear Iron(III) Ionic Liquid for the Highly Efficient Glycolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate under Microwave Irradiation

An iron-based ionic liquid was developed to efficiently break down PET plastic (used in bottles and packaging) through a chemical recycling process under microwave heating. This could provide a pathway to recover and reuse plastic materials that would otherwise degrade into microplastics.

2019 ChemPlusChem 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable solution for microplastic removal: Sequential biodegradation and detoxification of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by two natural microbial consortia

Researchers developed a two-stage approach using natural microbial communities to break down PET microplastics and neutralize their toxic byproducts. The first bacterial-fungal group achieved 28% degradation over 60 days, while a second group of bacteria further processed the breakdown products, reducing their toxicity. The study demonstrates that sequential microbial treatment could be a practical, eco-friendly strategy for addressing PET microplastic pollution.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 4 citations
Review Tier 2

A focused review on recycling and hydrolysis techniques of polyethylene terephthalate

This review examines techniques for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most common plastics found as microplastic pollution. Chemical recycling through hydrolysis shows the most promise for breaking PET back into its original building blocks for reuse. Improving PET recycling is important because reducing plastic waste at the source is one of the most effective ways to decrease microplastic contamination in the environment.

2023 Polymer Engineering and Science 154 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrochemical oxidation of polyethylene microplastics: from efficient removal to sustainable valorization

Scientists developed a new method that can remove up to 98% of tiny plastic particles from water in just three hours using a special electrical process. Instead of just destroying the plastic waste, this technique turns it into useful chemicals like acids that can be used to make other products. This breakthrough could help clean up plastic pollution in our water while also creating a way to recycle plastic waste into valuable materials.

2026 Journal of Applied Electrochemistry
Article Tier 2

Using a marine microalga as a chassis for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation

Researchers genetically engineered a marine microalgae to produce enzymes that break down PET plastic (the kind used in bottles and synthetic fibers), demonstrating for the first time that a saltwater microalgae can be used as a biological platform for PET degradation. This proof-of-concept points toward eco-friendly, ocean-based solutions for tackling plastic pollution at its source.

2019 Microbial Cell Factories 313 citations
Article Tier 2

Conversion of PET Bottle Waste into a Terephthalic Acid-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Removing Plastic Nanoparticles from Water

Researchers found a way to turn waste PET plastic bottles into a special material (metal-organic framework) that can remove nanoplastic particles from water with up to 97% efficiency. This approach solves two problems at once: it recycles plastic bottle waste and uses the resulting material to clean plastic nanoparticles from contaminated water. The technology offers a promising circular solution for addressing both plastic waste and nanoplastic water pollution.

2024 Nanomaterials 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity chemicals and H2 fuel

Researchers developed an electrocatalytic process that breaks down waste PET plastic (the kind used in water bottles) into valuable chemicals and clean hydrogen fuel using a specially designed nickel-cobalt catalyst. The process achieved high efficiency at industrial-scale current densities, offering a potentially profitable way to recycle plastic waste into useful products.

2021 Nature Communications 678 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanochemical and Mechanobiological Recycling of Postconsumer Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Plastics under Microwave irradiation: A comparative study.

Researchers developed a rapid mechanical pretreatment using microwave irradiation to improve PET plastic recycling under mild, environmentally friendly conditions. More efficient PET recycling reduces the amount that ends up in landfills or the environment, where it breaks down into microplastics.

2023
Article Tier 2

Repurposing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste as an antibacterial packaging material

Researchers repurposed PET plastic waste by integrating antimicrobial agents during reprocessing, creating antibacterial packaging material from recycled PET that inhibits bacterial growth — demonstrating a circular economy approach that adds functional value to plastic waste.

2025 MRS Communications 2 citations
Article Tier 2

In silico COSMO-RS predictive screening of ionic liquids for the dissolution of plastic

Researchers screened 9,405 ionic liquids for plastic dissolution capability using computational modeling (COSMO-RS), then validated the most promising candidates experimentally, identifying potential green solvents for plastic waste recycling.

2022 Green Chemistry 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical Recycling of Mixed Plastics in Electronic Waste Using Solvent-Based Processing

Researchers developed a solvent-based chemical recycling process capable of separating and recovering mixed plastics from electronic shredder residue, demonstrating that targeted solvent systems can selectively dissolve specific polymer types and enable higher-quality recycling of e-waste plastics.

2021 Processes 42 citations