Advanced nanobubble flotation for enhanced removal of sub-10 µm microplastics from wastewater.

ABSTRACT: Sub-10 µm microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments pose significant ecological and health risks due to their mobility and potential to carry harmful microcontaminants. Our effluent analysis from a Hong Kong Sewage Treatment Works shows that traditional treatment often fails to effectively remove these MPs. These small-sized MPs are commonly neglected due to challenges in accurate quantification, analysis, and removal. This study introduces a nanobubble-assisted flotation process that enhances the removal efficiency of both regular and irregular small-sized MPs from wastewater. The proposed process outperforms the traditional flotation process by fostering a more effective interaction between bubbles and MPs, increasing removal rates of MPs from 1 µm to 10 µm by up to 12% and providing a

SUBMITTER: Jia M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11493987 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature