Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Experimental Tests on Lightweight Cement Mortar and Concrete with Recycled Plastic Wastes

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it tests the mechanical properties of cement mortar and concrete incorporating recycled plastic waste granules as aggregate substitutes, a construction materials engineering study.

2023 Buildings 6 citations
Review Tier 2

Waste Plastic and Rubber in Concrete and Cement Mortar: A Tertiary Literature Review

This review synthesized tertiary literature on using waste plastic and rubber in concrete and cement mortar, finding that while these recycled materials offer environmental benefits, they generally reduce mechanical strength and require careful optimization.

2023 Sustainability 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Recycled Mixed Plastic Fine Aggregate in Cement Concrete

Cement concrete mixtures incorporating mixed post-consumer recycled plastic as fine aggregate were characterized, finding that an optimized blend of polymer types produced workable concrete with mechanical properties suitable for construction applications.

2024 Springer Proceedings in Materials
Article Tier 2

A Step towards Sustainable Concrete with Substitution of Plastic Waste in Concrete: Overview on Mechanical, Durability and Microstructure Analysis

This review evaluates the use of plastic waste as a substitute material in concrete, analyzing its effects on mechanical strength, durability, and microstructure to assess its viability as a sustainable construction approach.

2022 Crystals 174 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate as Aggregate Replacement on Mechanical and Ecotoxicological Properties of Mortar

Researchers tested mortar made with recycled PET plastic replacing some of the natural aggregate and found that it maintained comparable compressive strength while passing ecotoxicity tests with plants. The study suggests that incorporating recycled plastic waste into construction materials could be a viable way to reduce plastic in landfills without creating significant environmental harm.

2025 Recycling 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential improvement in the mechanical performance and thermal resistance of geopolymer with appropriate microplastic incorporation: A sustainable solution for recycling and reusing microplastics

Researchers tested whether microplastics of various sizes could be incorporated into geopolymer, a cement-like construction material, as a way to recycle plastic waste. Adding small amounts of microplastics actually improved the material's strength and heat resistance up to 400 degrees Celsius. This approach offers a potential solution for trapping microplastics in building materials rather than letting them pollute the environment and threaten human health.

2024 Waste Management 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance Characterization and Evaluation of Innovative Cement Mortars and Concretes Made with Recycled EPS

Not relevant to microplastics — this study evaluates the mechanical strength and thermal insulation performance of cement mortars and concretes that incorporate recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads as aggregate, focused on construction materials.

2024 Applied Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Face Mask Wastes as Cementitious Materials: A Possible Solution to a Big Concern

Researchers investigated the use of waste surgical masks as a cementitious additive in mortars without pretreatment, addressing the dual problem of pandemic-era mask waste and microplastic contamination. The study evaluated the mechanical and environmental performance of mortars incorporating mask materials as part of circular economy waste management.

2022 Materials 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the structural performance of waste PET-infused interlocking units versus traditional stone masonry

This study is not directly about microplastics — it evaluates the compressive strength and water absorption of interlocking bricks made from waste PET plastic as a partial cement replacement in construction.

2024 Engineering and Technology Journal 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Plastic-Infused Concrete Bricks and Their Suitability for Interlocking: Mechanical, Durability, and Environmental Perspectives

Researchers tested plastic-infused concrete bricks as a way to repurpose plastic waste in construction materials, evaluating their mechanical strength and suitability for different building applications. The study explores whether incorporating plastic waste into durable materials can reduce the plastic entering the environment as microplastics.

2025 European Journal of Innovative Studies and Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene (PE) Waste Minimization Study of Cement Mortar with Adding PE Content under Different W/B Ratios

This study tested cement mortar containing recycled polyethylene plastic waste, finding that small amounts of plastic can be incorporated without significantly compromising durability, offering a route for diverting plastic from landfills into construction materials.

2022 Buildings 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Using Epoxy Resin Variations on the Value of Compressive Strength, Split Strength, and Elastic Modulus of Polymer Mortars Using River Sand

Researchers investigated the effect of varying epoxy resin content (5-25% by volume) as a cement substitute in mortar production using river sand, finding that increasing resin concentration improved compressive strength up to 35.92 MPa and tensile strength up to 3.82 MPa at 25%, while decreasing the modulus of elasticity indicating greater deformability.

2024 Jurnal Teknik Sipil
Article Tier 2

Recycling/reuse of plastic waste as construction material for sustainable development: a review

Researchers reviewed how waste plastic can be incorporated into construction materials — as binders, aggregates, or cement substitutes in bricks, tiles, concrete, and roads — finding that plastic-modified materials often show competitive strength properties while simultaneously diverting plastic waste from landfills.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 264 citations
Article Tier 2

Incorporation of Disposed Face Mask to Cement Mortar Material: An Insight into the Dynamic Mechanical Properties

Researchers incorporated shredded waste face masks into cement mortar mixes at varying proportions, evaluating the mechanical and durability properties of the resulting composite. Adding mask material at low proportions reduced compressive strength moderately but improved energy absorption, suggesting face mask waste could be valorized as a construction material additive.

2024 Buildings 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Use of Post-Consumer LDPE Waste and Stone Dust in Sustainable Concrete Composites

Researchers incorporated post-consumer LDPE plastic waste and stone dust into concrete mixes and found that these additions can maintain acceptable mechanical properties. Reusing plastic waste in construction materials diverts plastics from landfills and reduces their potential to fragment into environmental microplastics.

2023 Applied Research and Innovation 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Concrete with Recycled Nanoplastics for Enhanced Sustainability

Researchers investigated the effects of incorporating recycled nanoplastics into concrete mixtures, evaluating the impact on mechanical properties including tensile, compressive, and splitting strength as well as thermal stability and insulation, framing nanoplastic waste as a potentially beneficial construction material additive.

2023 Annales de Chimie Science des Matériaux 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Property assessment of an eco-friendly mortar reinforced with recycled mask fiber derived from COVID-19 single-use face masks

Researchers developed an eco-friendly mortar reinforced with recycled polypropylene fibers from COVID-19 single-use face masks, demonstrating a practical approach to repurposing pandemic waste while reducing environmental microplastic contamination.

2023 Journal of Building Engineering 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovative Sustainable Concrete: Fresh and Hardened Properties Incorporating Plastic Waste

This study investigated the effects of incorporating plastic waste into concrete on mechanical and durability properties, addressing the hydrophobic nature and poor interfacial adhesion of plastic as a challenge within circular economy frameworks for construction material sustainability.

2025 Current Problems in Research
Article Tier 2

Strength Characteristics of Alkali-Activated Slag Mortars with the Addition of PET Flakes

Researchers investigated incorporating PET plastic flakes into alkali-activated slag mortars as an alternative to Portland cement, finding that PET additions affected mechanical strength in ways that depend on flake content. This approach offers a potential use for waste PET plastic while reducing cement production emissions.

2021 Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimization of Asphalt Concrete Performance Using Waste Plastic Bottles (WPB) as a Sustainable Bitumen Modifier: A Comprehensive Rheological and Mechanical Assessment

Not relevant to microplastics — this study evaluates waste plastic bottles as a bitumen modifier to improve asphalt road performance, testing mechanical and thermal properties; it addresses plastic reuse in construction rather than environmental microplastic pollution.

2026 American Journal of Civil Engineering
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the duality of cement and concrete addressing microplastic pollution: a review

This review explores the dual role of cement and concrete in microplastic pollution -- they can both contribute to and potentially help filter out microplastics from the environment. The research suggests that specially designed porous concrete could be used in water filtration systems to capture microplastics before they reach drinking water supplies.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Experimental Insight into the Containment of Plastic Waste in Cement-Stabilised Soil as a Road Pavement Layer Material

This experimental study explored incorporating plastic waste into cement-stabilized soil for road construction, finding that plastic can be contained in the material without significantly reducing its structural performance.

2022 Infrastructures 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Utilization of plastic waste as replacement of natural aggregates in sustainable concrete: effects on mechanical and durability properties

Researchers tested concrete made with recycled polyethylene and PET plastic aggregates substituted for natural sand and gravel, finding that while plastic additions reduced compressive strength and increased water permeability, they improved impact resistance and chloride resistance, with PET concrete showing no microplastic leaching.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 66 citations
Article Tier 2

The Utilizing of Recycled Plastic Waste as an Alternative for Zero Cement Paving Blocks

This study tested the compressive strength and water absorption of paving blocks made entirely from recycled plastic waste without cement. Using plastic waste in construction materials offers a way to permanently remove plastic from the environment while meeting the growing need for durable urban infrastructure.

2023 Jurnal Teknik Sipil 1 citations