Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Flash Graphene from Plastic Waste.

This study demonstrates a method for converting mixed plastic waste into high-quality graphene using rapid electrical heating called flash Joule heating. The process requires no catalyst, works on mixed plastic waste including landfill material, and could offer an economically viable route to reduce plastic waste while producing a valuable material.

2020 ACS nano
Article Tier 2

Rapid adsorption of sulfamethazine on mesoporous graphene produced from plastic waste: optimization, mechanism, isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics

Researchers converted high-density polyethylene plastic waste into mesoporous graphene via solvent-free pyrolysis and used it to rapidly adsorb sulfamethazine antibiotic from water, achieving high removal efficiency and demonstrating that plastic waste can be upcycled into valuable materials for wastewater treatment.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid activation of microplastics by microwave heating in an aqueous phase: A novel approach for enhanced plastic recycling

Microwave heating was used to rapidly activate microplastics by partial oxidation, enhancing their subsequent degradation in catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) processes. Graphite particles and hydrogen peroxide during microwave treatment boosted MP reactivity, with aliphatic plastics activating more effectively than aromatic ones.

2024 Separation and Purification Technology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Highly selective electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based graphene electrode for rapid detection of microplastics

A graphene electrode derived from petroleum waste was developed and applied as an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy sensor for highly selective detection of microplastics in aquatic samples. The approach offers a sensitive and selective alternative to optical methods for environmental microplastic monitoring.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
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

Valorisation of metal-contaminated microplastic waste in the synthesis of porous metal-modified TiO2 semiconductors

Researchers explored a novel approach to valorize metal-contaminated microplastic waste by using it as a precursor for synthesizing porous materials. The method could convert a persistent environmental pollutant into a useful material while removing it from the environment.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Scalable Production of Multifunctional Bio‐Based Polyamide 11/Graphene Nanocomposites by Melt Extrusion Processes Via Masterbatch Approach

Researchers developed a scalable process to make bio-based polyamide 11 plastic reinforced with graphene, improving its electrical conductivity and mechanical strength by up to 56%. This is a materials engineering study on new polymer composites, not directly related to microplastic environmental impacts.

2016 Advances in Polymer Technology 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Upcycling plastic waste into electrode materials for energy storage applications

Researchers reviewed approaches for upcycling plastic waste into electrode materials for energy storage applications, finding that discarded plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET can be converted through pyrolysis and chemical activation into carbon-based electrodes for supercapacitors and batteries, addressing both plastic pollution and energy storage challenges simultaneously.

2025 Open Collections
Article Tier 2

Upcycling of plastic membrane industrial scraps and reuse as sorbent for emerging contaminants in water

Scraps of graphene hollow fiber membranes from industrial manufacturing were recycled into sorbent granules suitable for removing emerging contaminants from drinking water. The upcycling process transforms industrial plastic membrane waste into a functional water treatment material, demonstrating circular economy principles in water technology.

2024 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of commercial plastic waste recycling into graphene materials

This review covers methods for recycling plastic waste into graphene, a valuable high-tech material, using techniques like high-temperature processing and chemical vapor deposition. Converting plastic waste into useful materials could help reduce the amount of plastic that degrades into microplastics in the environment. While not directly about health effects, this research addresses the root cause of microplastic pollution by turning waste plastic into something valuable.

2025 RSC Advances 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Advanced graphene-based nanotechnologies for remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics in water

This review examines how graphene-based nanomaterials can be used to remove both PFAS chemicals and microplastics from water through adsorption, membrane filtration, and photocatalytic degradation. Researchers found that while graphene materials show promising removal capabilities in lab settings due to their high surface area and tunable chemistry, challenges including aggregation, cost, and scalability remain barriers to real-world implementation.

2026 Discover Water
Article Tier 2

Rapid activation of microplastics by microwave heating

This study investigated using microwave heating to rapidly activate microplastics, likely altering their surface chemistry to enhance adsorption of pollutants or to accelerate degradation. Understanding how heat treatment transforms microplastics is relevant both for remediation strategies and for assessing what happens to plastics in environments or processes involving elevated temperatures.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Rapid activation of microplastics by microwave heating

This study investigated using microwave heating to rapidly activate microplastics, likely altering their surface chemistry to enhance adsorption of pollutants or to accelerate degradation. Understanding how heat treatment transforms microplastics is relevant both for remediation strategies and for assessing what happens to plastics in environments or processes involving elevated temperatures.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contaminant adsorption by graphene oxide layer

Researchers found that graphene oxide, a carbon-based material, can effectively bind and remove harmful microplastic contaminants like BPA and PET from water through strong molecular interactions. This technology could be developed into filtration systems for large-scale water treatment, helping reduce the amount of microplastic-related chemicals that people are exposed to through drinking water.

2025 Journal of Biological Physics 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microwave-Assisted Extraction for Quantification of Microplastics Using Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a microwave-assisted extraction method combined with pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) for quantifying microplastics in environmental matrices, improving extraction efficiency and analytical accuracy.

2021 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring treatment efficiency of graphene derivatives as adsorbents for removal of microplastics in water

Researchers tested three forms of graphene — graphene oxide, graphene foam, and reduced graphene oxide — as filters for removing microplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of up to 95% in lab conditions. Reduced graphene oxide performed best, though all three materials showed promise as next-generation water treatment adsorbents that could help tackle microplastic contamination at the source.

2025 Desalination and Water Treatment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Upcycling of polyethylene to gasoline through a self-supplied hydrogen strategy in a layered self-pillared zeolite

Researchers developed a special zeolite material (a porous mineral catalyst) that converts polyethylene plastic waste into high-quality gasoline with over 80% yield, without needing expensive metals or added hydrogen. This breakthrough offers a practical pathway for recycling one of the most common plastics into usable fuel, potentially reducing plastic waste and reliance on fossil fuel extraction.

2024 Nature Chemistry 111 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical Recycling of Plastics by Microwave‐Assisted High‐Temperature Pyrolysis

Researchers developed a microwave-assisted high-temperature pyrolysis method that continuously breaks down mixed plastic waste and plant oil into useful chemicals like ethylene and propylene. This chemical recycling approach could help divert plastic waste from the environment while producing renewable building blocks for new materials.

2020 Global Challenges 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental aspects of restoring the environment: nanotechnology for removing micro and nanoplastics from water

Researchers developed a plasma chemical water purification method that combines modified humic substances with high-voltage electrical discharge to aggregate and magnetically remove micro- and nanoplastics from contaminated water. Tested on wastewater from a printing facility, the method outperformed conventional sorption or plasma treatment alone and showed promise for simultaneously removing plastics, heavy metals, and organic pollutants. This offers a potentially scalable technology for treating industrial wastewater sources that are currently releasing nanoplastics to the environment.

2023 Environment & Health
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

Plastic Waste Recycling, Applications, and Future Prospects for a Sustainable Environment

This review examines emerging plastic waste recycling strategies including microwave, plasma, and supercritical water conversion, highlighting applications in construction, fuel production, and nanomaterials for a circular economy.

2022 Sustainability 117 citations
Article Tier 2

The role and significance of graphene oxide in the remediation of micro- and nanoplastics from the environment

This review examines how graphene oxide, a carbon-based material with a very large surface area, can be used to remove microplastics and nanoplastics from water. Graphene oxide showed impressive removal capacity for polystyrene microplastics through adsorption. The technology could be an important tool for developing more effective water treatment systems that protect people from microplastic contamination.

2025 RSC Advances 6 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of the Current Research Status of Graphene for the Removal of Microplastics and Antibiotics from Water

This review assesses the potential of graphene-based materials for microplastic removal from water, evaluating adsorption mechanisms, removal efficiency across particle sizes, and scalability challenges for water treatment applications.

2024 International Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Catalytic Processes Driven by Graphene-Based Materials

This review covers how graphene-based materials can catalyze chemical reactions relevant to sustainable production and environmental protection, including degradation of pollutants in water. While not focused on microplastics directly, graphene catalysts show promise for breaking down plastic-associated chemical contaminants.

2020 Processes 19 citations