Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Catalyst Design and Engineering for Enhanced Microplastic Degradation and Upcycling - A Review

This review covers advances in catalyst design for microplastic degradation and upcycling, examining photocatalytic, Fenton-based, and enzymatic approaches. It evaluates the performance, scalability, and selectivity of different catalyst systems and discusses their potential for converting MP waste into useful chemical feedstocks.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Countering microplastics pollution with photocatalysis: Challenge and prospects

This review summarized the use of photocatalysis for degrading microplastics, covering catalyst types, reaction mechanisms, and operational parameters, and discussing challenges including the stability of highly polymerized plastics and prospects for scaling photocatalytic treatment to address environmental microplastic pollution.

2023 Progress in Natural Science Materials International 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms and the Engineering Approaches for the Degradation of Microplastics

This review provided a comprehensive overview of current microplastic degradation methods, including mechanical, chemical, photocatalytic, and biological approaches, evaluating engineering strategies for efficient microplastic treatment and removal.

2021 ACS ES&T Engineering 172 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic Technologies for Transformation and Degradation of Microplastics in the Environment: Current Achievements and Future Prospects

This review examines photocatalytic technologies that use light-activated materials to break down microplastics in the environment. Various catalysts can generate reactive oxygen species that degrade plastic polymers into simpler, less harmful molecules. The authors assess the strengths and limitations of different photocatalytic approaches and highlight the need for scalable solutions that work under real-world environmental conditions.

2023 Catalysts 51 citations
Article Tier 2

From Pollution to Solution: Scalable Approaches to Microplastic Degradation and Sustainability: A Review

This review examined scalable approaches to microplastic degradation and pollution control, covering photocatalytic, biological, and chemical degradation strategies as well as source reduction policies. The authors assessed both technical feasibility and implementation barriers for transitioning from pollution to solution at industrial scales.

2025 Asian Journal of Chemistry
Article Tier 2

New Progress in Plastic Degradation and Conversion by Photocatalysis

This review examines advances in photocatalytic plastic degradation and conversion, covering both the plastic pollution crisis driven by microplastic formation and innovative recycling approaches including primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary methods.

2024 ACS symposium series
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic strategy to mitigate microplastic pollution in aquatic environments: Promising catalysts, efficiencies, mechanisms, and ecological risks

This review summarizes recent advances in photocatalytic degradation of microplastics, covering catalysts, mechanisms, and reactive oxygen species generation pathways. The authors call for more realistic photocatalytic materials, better mechanistic understanding of degradation intermediates, and quantitative ecological risk assessment of photocatalysis byproducts.

2022 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

State of the art in the photochemical degradation of (micro)plastics: from fundamental principles to catalysts and applications

This review summarizes research on the photochemical degradation of plastics and microplastics into value-added products and intermediates via photocatalysis. The study covers fundamental principles and catalytic approaches for breaking down plastic pollutants that are otherwise difficult to degrade in the environment.

2023 Journal of Materials Chemistry A 94 citations
Article Tier 2

A broad horizon for sustainable catalytic oxidation of microplastics

This review explores three catalytic approaches for breaking down microplastics: photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and biocatalysis. Researchers discuss the mechanisms behind each method and their potential for sustainable microplastic management in contaminated water and soil. The study suggests that catalytic oxidation technologies offer a promising pathway for addressing widespread microplastic pollution, though significant research challenges remain.

2023 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic Degradation and Remediation of Microplastics

This review chapter examines photocatalysis as a remediation strategy for microplastic pollution in aquatic and terrestrial environments, describing how solar energy conversion drives chemical reactions that degrade plastic particles. The authors assess the current state of photocatalytic methods, their mechanisms, and their potential for sustainable microplastic removal.

2024 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Photocatalytic Removal of Microplastics: Mechanisms, Kinetic Degradation, and Reactor Design

This review examines how photocatalytic processes, which use light-activated materials to generate reactive molecules, can be used to break down microplastics in water. Researchers surveyed the mechanisms behind photocatalytic degradation of common plastics like polyethylene and polystyrene, as well as reactor designs that could make the technology practical. The study highlights photocatalysis as a promising approach for tackling microplastic pollution but notes that scaling up these systems remains a major challenge.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Light-driven degradation of microplastics: Mechanisms, technologies, and future directions

This review examines photocatalytic technologies for breaking down microplastics using light-driven chemical processes. Researchers found that photocatalysts can potentially mineralize microplastics into carbon dioxide and water, with some approaches also enabling recovery of useful chemical products. The study highlights light-driven degradation as a promising direction for microplastic remediation, though challenges around efficiency and scalability remain to be addressed.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic and biological technologies for elimination of microplastics in water: Current status

This review examines emerging photocatalytic and biological technologies for breaking down microplastics in water, since conventional treatment facilities can capture but not fully destroy these particles. Researchers found that while photocatalysis and microbial degradation show promise, their effectiveness varies widely and the underlying mechanisms are only partly understood. The study highlights the urgent need for more efficient solutions to eliminate rather than simply filter out microplastic pollution from water supplies.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 137 citations
Article Tier 2

Global challenges in microplastics: From fundamental understanding to advanced degradations toward sustainable strategies

This review examined global challenges in microplastic research — from environmental entry pathways and fate to human health impacts — and discussed potential degradation strategies, concluding that a combination of photocatalysis, biodegradation, and policy measures will be needed for sustainable management.

2020 Chemosphere 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of Micro- and Nano-Plastics by Photocatalytic Methods

This paper reviews photocatalytic methods — using light-activated catalysts — as a way to break down micro- and nano-plastics in the environment. These approaches offer a promising path toward degrading persistent plastic particles that accumulate in marine and drinking water systems.

2017 Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Applications 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Catalytic degradation of microplastics

This review summarizes catalytic approaches for degrading microplastics in the environment, covering photocatalysis, Fenton reactions, and other advanced oxidation methods, and evaluates their current effectiveness and limitations for addressing real-world microplastic contamination.

2023 Russian Chemical Reviews 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Catalytic and biocatalytic degradation of microplastics

This review covers the current state of breaking down microplastics using catalysts and biological agents including enzymes, metals, nanomaterials, and microorganisms. While some approaches show promise for degrading certain plastic types, the field is still developing standardized methods for measuring how well these techniques work. Finding effective ways to break down microplastics is critical for reducing the environmental and health burden of plastic pollution.

2023 Exploration 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent advances in the breakdown of microplastics: strategies and future prospectives

This review summarizes recent advances in microplastic breakdown methods, including natural weathering, catalyst-assisted degradation, and biodegradation by microorganisms. The study highlights promising strategies for addressing microplastic pollution, while noting that most current methods remain at the laboratory scale and face challenges for real-world application.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Engineered nanocatalysts for degradation and valorisation of micro/nanoplastics

This review explored how engineered nanocatalysts can break down micro- and nanoplastics and convert them into useful products. Researchers highlighted several promising technologies, including microrobots, nanozymes, and solar-powered systems that can efficiently degrade persistent plastic particles. The study suggests that catalytic approaches offer a pathway toward both cleaning up plastic pollution and supporting a circular economy by turning waste into valuable materials.

2026 Chemical Communications 1 citations
Article Tier 2

How to Build a Microplastics‐Free Environment: Strategies for Microplastics Degradation and Plastics Recycling

This review examines strategies for degrading microplastics and recycling plastic waste to build a microplastic-free environment. Researchers evaluated approaches including biodegradation, photocatalytic degradation, advanced oxidation processes, and chemical recycling methods. The study highlights that while promising technologies exist, no single method can yet achieve complete microplastic elimination, and a combination of prevention, removal, and recycling strategies will be needed.

2022 Advanced Science 275 citations
Article Tier 2

Systemically Understanding Aqueous Photocatalytic Upgrading of Microplastic to Fuels

This review examines photocatalytic methods for converting microplastic waste into renewable fuels using solar energy. These approaches could transform plastic pollutants into useful energy sources rather than allowing them to accumulate in the environment and food chain.

2023 Solar RRL
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic and Enzymatic Degradation of Microplastics: Current Status, Comparison, and Combination

This review compares photocatalytic and enzymatic approaches for degrading microplastics, finding that photocatalysis offers high efficiency but risks secondary pollution, while enzymatic degradation is milder but slower, and proposes combined strategies as a promising direction.

2025 Catalysts
Article Tier 2

Design and Structural Modification of Advanced Biomaterials for Photocatalytic Degradation of Micro‐ and Nano‐Plastics

Researchers designed advanced biomaterials engineered to harness sunlight for breaking down micro- and nanoplastics through photocatalysis, combining nanotechnology and materials science to create eco-friendly, biodegradable particles capable of capturing and degrading plastic pollutants across diverse environmental conditions.

2025
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic Perception for Degradation of Macro- and Micro-plastics

This review examines photocatalytic approaches for degrading both macro- and micro-plastics, surveying semiconductor-based and other photocatalytic systems capable of breaking down persistent plastic polymers in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The paper evaluates the mechanisms, efficiency, and scalability of photocatalysis as a remediation technology alongside conventional plastic waste management strategies.

2024 ACS symposium series 1 citations