Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing Electrocoagolation-based Removal of Polypropylene Microplastics from Wastewater: Efficiency Comparison of Rubber and Thermoplastic-Derived Particles

IF 3 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Pub Date : 2025-04-05 DOI:10.1007/s11270-025-07938-8

Alireza Khanizadeh, Shadi Hassanajili

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Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) pose significant environmental and health risks due to their persistence, ability to adsorb toxic chemicals, and widespread distribution in aquatic environments. Despite advancements in water treatment technologies, finding a method that is not only efficient and effective but also affordable for removing MPs especially polypropylene (PP) MPs from wastewater has been a significant challenge. This study investigates the use of electrocoagulation (EC) as an economical and sustainable solution to address this challenge. Using Central Composite Design (CCD), the EC process was optimized for PP MPs removal, achieving a maximum efficiency of 97% under optimal conditions: a pH of 7.7, current density of 11.7 A/m², and NaCl concentration of 1 g/L. The study also evaluates the impact of factors like particle size, electrode configurations, and MP types, including polyethylene (PE), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and waste rubber (WR), on removal efficiency. Results reveal that all MP types were removed with over 90% efficiency. Notably, MPs derived from thermoplastics like PP and PE were removed more efficiently than rubber-based microparticles like SBR and WR. Moreover, the estimated operational cost of removing PP MPS was approximately $0.23 per cubic meter of treated water, highlighting the cost-effectiveness of EC process for wastewater treatment.

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优化电混凝法去除废水中聚丙烯微塑料的响应面法：橡胶和热塑性衍生颗粒的效率比较

微塑料由于其持久性、吸附有毒化学物质的能力以及在水生环境中的广泛分布，构成了重大的环境和健康风险。尽管水处理技术取得了进步，但找到一种既高效又经济的方法来去除废水中的MPs，特别是聚丙烯（PP） MPs，一直是一个重大挑战。本研究探讨了使用电凝（EC）作为解决这一挑战的经济和可持续的解决方案。采用中心复合设计（CCD）优化了EC工艺对PP MPs的去除效果，在pH为7.7、电流密度为11.7 a /m2、NaCl浓度为1 g/L的最佳条件下，效率达到97%。该研究还评估了颗粒大小、电极配置和MP类型（包括聚乙烯（PE）、丁苯橡胶（SBR）和废橡胶（WR））等因素对去除效率的影响。结果表明，所有MP类型的去除效率均在90%以上。值得注意的是，来自PP和PE等热塑性塑料的MPs比SBR和WR等橡胶基微粒的去除效率更高。此外，去除PP MPS的估计运营成本约为每立方米处理水0.23美元，突出了EC工艺处理废水的成本效益。图形抽象

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来源期刊

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

6.90%

发文量

448

审稿时长

2.6 months

期刊介绍： Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollution and solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biological processes affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution. Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources, transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquatic pollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution, sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish, aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology applied to pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollution and pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methods used in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology, novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced by pollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation), environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments. Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance international knowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicate known knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally be rejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correct experimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significant contribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; review articles; mini-reviews; and book reviews.