In 2022, the scientific journal Environment International published a study confirming that microplastics are ubiquitous. High percentage in the bloodstream of 22 donorsThe most common was PET polymer, primarily derived from plastic bottles. Fortunately, new scientific breakthroughs have paved the way for mitigating the presence of microplastics in water.
The latest strategy is set to Remove microplastics from water using ultrasoundAn innovative prototype developed by Indonesian researchers.
This article covers the following topics:
What are microplastics?
First, what exactly are microplastics?The European Commission has declared microplastics Pieces of plastic less than 5 millimetersMicroplastics often contain functional additives in addition to the primary polymer. health riskFinding ways to reduce their presence in the environment is therefore becoming a priority.
Prototype for removing microplastics from water
presented at the conference of Acoustical Society of AmericaA new prototype by Indonesian researchers at the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember can concentrate microplastics present in water streams.
The ultrasonic waves push the microplastics into the center of the flow in the pipe, where they can be filtered out.Can be processed with preliminary technology Cleans up to 150 liters per hour and up to 58% of microplastics underwater. Tests he performed with three types of microplastics recorded different levels of efficiency for each.
Of course, before applying this kind of technology in the natural environment, the impact on marine life, especially those that rely on echolocation such as dolphins, needs to be assessed.
Ultrasonic for waste sludge cleaning
Within the framework of the circular economy, the utilization of waste as a resource has become one of the main priorities. One of the most popular alternatives is to reuse sludge from wastewater to produce fertilizer.
One of the problems with this type of waste is the presence of microplastics. Most of it comes from the washing machine cycle of synthetic clothing.Presumed Up to 8% of microplastics At sea comes from the textile industry. Conversely, when fertilizers from sewage sludge are used in agriculture, microplastics can contaminate the soil.
To avoid this situation, a group of scientists from the Polytechnic University of Valencia have unveiled a technology to remove microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, also known as WWTPs. In their case, 80 kHz ultrasound was used. Removes up to 48% of PET microplastics in sludge.
This technology, and the one demonstrated by Indonesian scientists, is still in its infancy, and the use of ultrasound to clean microplastics only dates back to the beginning of the decade.
Micro plastic filter by laser drilling
In addition to new ultrasonic technology, new filters are being investigated that could have industrial and domestic applications. One of these was recently published by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Laser Technology Creates Never-Before-Seen Filters.
German researchers drilled holes using ultrashort pulse lasers 59 million holes The steel plate diameter is only 10 micrometers. After testing with water contaminated with plastic particles from a 3D printer, they transferred the technology to a wastewater treatment plant, where it was evaluated under real-life conditions.
If you want to learn more about microplastic cleanup techniques, I recommend checking out this article on alternatives like using ferrofluids and plant-based filters.
Science is looking for solutions to this challenge, but you can reduce your microplastic footprint by choosing natural fabrics and reusable packaging.
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