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A research team from the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS) has developed an electrolytic wastewater treatment process that degrades microplastics at the source. The results of this research were published in the Environmental pollution newspaper.
Wastewater can carry high concentrations of microplastics into the environment. These small particles of less than 5mm can come from our clothes, usually in the form of microfibers. Professor Patrick Drogui, who led the study, points out that there is currently no established degradation method to handle this contaminant during wastewater treatment. Some techniques already exist, but they often involve physical separation as a means of filtering out pollutants. These technologies do not degrade them, which requires additional work to deal with the separated particles.
Therefore, the research team decided to degrade the particles by electrolytic oxidation, a process that does not require the addition of chemicals. “Using electrodes, we generate hydroxyl radicals (* OH) to attack microplastics. This process is environmentally friendly because it breaks them down into CO2 and water molecules, which are not toxic to the ecosystem “, explains the researcher. The electrodes used in this process are more expensive than iron or steel electrodes, which degrade over time, but can be reused for several years.
Effective treatment
Professor Drogui is considering the use of this technology at the exit of commercial laundries, a potential source of release of microplastics into the environment. “When this commercial laundry water arrives at the treatment plant, it is mixed with large quantities of water, the pollutants are diluted and therefore more difficult to degrade. Conversely, by acting at the source, it is that is to say in the laundry, the concentration of microplastics are higher (per liter of water), therefore more accessible for electrolytic degradation ”, explains the specialist in electrical engineering and water treatment .
Laboratory tests carried out on water artificially contaminated with polystyrene have shown a degradation efficiency of 89%. The team plans to move on to experiments on real water. “Real water contains other materials that can affect the degradation process, such as carbonates and phosphates, which can scavenge radicals and reduce the performance of the oxidation process,” explains Professor Drogui, Scientific Director of the Laboratory of environmental electrotechnologies and oxidative processes (LEEPO).
If the technology demonstrates its effectiveness on real commercial laundry water, the research group plans to conduct a study to determine the cost of treatment and adapt the technology to treat larger quantities of wastewater. In a few years, the technology could be implemented in laundry rooms.
Source of story:
Material provided by National Institute for Scientific Research – INRS. Original written by Audrey-Maude Vézina. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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