Utilizing Electrosorption for Efficient Removal of Polyethylene Microplastics from Water: Critical Factors and Mechanistic Insights

IF 6.7 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

ACS ES&T engineering Pub Date : 2025-05-29 DOI:10.1021/acsestengg.5c00307

Zhikun Chen, Maria Elektorowicz, Zhibin Ye, Qi Feng, Zheng Wang, Linxiang Lyu, Xuelin Tian and Chunjiang An*,

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Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) produced by human activities can enter the environment through wastewater systems. A significant quantity of MPs still reaches the environment via wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent because the techniques commonly used in WWTPs are not effective at removing MPs, especially smaller particles. To address this, an electrosorption (ES) method was developed in this study to separate MPs (3–5 μm polyethylene particles) from water using graphite felt electrodes. Electrosorption experiments were conducted using a static water cell and a flow-through cell to examine the influence of hydrodynamic forces. Increasing the voltage (up to 12 V) enhanced electrostatic attraction, accelerating removal. Higher flow rates improved MP transport to the electrode, boosting the efficiency. The highest removal (96.9%) occurred at 80 mL/min, 12 V, and 20 mM KNO₃ after 150 min. By analyzing the influence of various parameters on MP removal efficiency and exploring the underlying mechanisms through DLVO theory, this study establishes a foundation for future advancements in ES for MP removal. Future studies could focus on investigating the removal of MPs using ES in more complex real-world environments.

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利用电吸附法有效去除水中的聚乙烯微塑料：关键因素和机理

人类活动产生的微塑料（MPs）可以通过废水系统进入环境。由于污水处理厂中常用的技术不能有效地去除MPs，特别是较小的颗粒，因此大量的MPs仍然通过污水处理厂（WWTP）的流出物到达环境。为了解决这个问题，本研究开发了一种电吸附（ES）方法，使用石墨毡电极将MPs （3-5 μm聚乙烯颗粒）从水中分离出来。采用静水池和流动池进行了电吸附实验，考察了水动力的影响。增加电压（高达12v）增强静电吸引力，加速去除。更高的流速改善了MP向电极的传输，提高了效率。在80 mL/min， 12 V， 20 mM KNO3条件下，150 min去除率最高，达到96.9%。本研究通过分析各种参数对MP去除效率的影响，并通过DLVO理论探索其潜在机制，为ES在MP去除方面的进一步发展奠定基础。未来的研究可以集中在研究在更复杂的现实环境中使用ES去除MPs。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

ACS ES&T engineering ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL-

CiteScore

8.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： ACS ES&T Engineering publishes impactful research and review articles across all realms of environmental technology and engineering, employing a rigorous peer-review process. As a specialized journal, it aims to provide an international platform for research and innovation, inviting contributions on materials technologies, processes, data analytics, and engineering systems that can effectively manage, protect, and remediate air, water, and soil quality, as well as treat wastes and recover resources. The journal encourages research that supports informed decision-making within complex engineered systems and is grounded in mechanistic science and analytics, describing intricate environmental engineering systems. It considers papers presenting novel advancements, spanning from laboratory discovery to field-based application. However, case or demonstration studies lacking significant scientific advancements and technological innovations are not within its scope. Contributions containing experimental and/or theoretical methods, rooted in engineering principles and integrated with knowledge from other disciplines, are welcomed.