Emerging Materials for Photodegradation and Environmental Remediation of Micro- and Nano-Plastics (eBook)

Recent Developments and Future Prospects

Laxman Singh, Sunil Kumar (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025
635 Seiten
Wiley-Iste (Verlag)
978-1-394-36188-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Emerging Materials for Photodegradation and Environmental Remediation of Micro- and Nano-Plastics provides an in-depth understanding of the materials, design choices and applications needed for the mitigation of micro- and nano-plastic pollutants from environmental wastewater. This is a topic that continually attracts attention worldwide.

This is an important book for academic institutes and libraries, scientific organizations, and global research industries, and has been created for a wide audience. The book provides the scope of material design, synthesis, detailed mechanisms, spectroscopic analysis, and problem-solving strategies in environmental remediation.

The scope of the book on reactive, functional materials and applications extends far beyond the emerging technologies that possess valuable insights of the synthesis, processing and physiochemical characteristics and their functional properties for academics, postgraduates, research scholars, scientists, technologists, environmental chemists and industrialists. This book presents fifteen chapters, which explore new ideas in processing, designing, synthesis, selection, application, photocatalytic efficiency and economic justifications of emerging materials.

Laxman Singh is Head and Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Siddharth University, Siddharthnagar, India, and has research and teaching experience in Materials Chemistry. He has published more than 60 research articles in well-reputed international science journals.

Sunil Kumar is Senior Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry at L.N.T. College, B.R.A. Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, India, and has seven years of teaching experience. His research interests include synthesis and processing of functional polyurethanes, redox polymers, gel polymer electrolytes, nanomaterials, composites and many others.

Textauszug

1
Micro- and Nano-Plastic Pollution: Present Status on Environmental Issues and Photocatalytic Degradation

Plastic is an artificially produced synthetic polymer synthesized through a process referred to as cracking. Upon infiltrating the environment, plastic waste is gradually split down into smaller particles known as micro-plastics (MPs, with size ranging from 0.1 to 5 mm) and nano-plastics (NPs, which range in size from 1 to 100 nm), together we call these micro-nano-plastics (MNPs). However, MNP particles are highly complex and detailed in their shape, size, density, polymer structure, surface properties, etc. While particle concentrations across various media can differ by as many as ten orders of magnitude, examining such intricate samples can be comparable to searching for a needle in a haystack. MNPs have recently been identified as a significant global environmental pollutant. Studies indicate that as particles travel through the environment, their functional groups bind to organic pollutants such as heavy metals and persistent poisonous chemicals. Advancing eco-friendly plastic conversion technologies is vital for transitioning to a sustainable, less plastic-dependent future.

As a result, in recent times, efforts have been undertaken to incorporate nanomaterials and nanostructures into photocatalytic plastic degradation on the basis of developments in smart material technology using simple photocatalysts. Compared to conventional methods, photodegradation of MNPs can offer a more sustainable alternative for waste plastic reprocessing, as it utilizes solar energy as an energy source and operates at room temperature and pressure. Current efforts focus on the strategic design and surface modification to accomplish smart materials able to capture, transport and disperse MPs with varying shapes and chemical compositions. Catalytic materials used in photocatalysis show significant potential for degrading common plastics. As a result, recent advancements in these small, self-moving equipment are anticipated to drive a major breakthrough in environmental rehabilitation.

Figure 1.1. Nanomaterials as advanced photocatalysts for plastic conversion.

1.1. Introduction

Plastic products have undeniably transformed our daily lives, providing unparalleled convenience owing to their remarkable characteristics such as lightweight quality of plastic makes it an ideal choice for packaging, contributing to reduced transportation costs and energy consumption (Du et al. 2021). Its impressive chemical stability ensures the preservation of goods, preventing decay and prolonging the longevity of numerous products. Moreover, the high durability of plastic means that products made from this material enjoy a prolonged lifespan, reducing the frequency of replacements in comparison to alternative materials. Additionally, the cost-effectiveness of plastic production translates to affordable products for consumers. This has led to a substantial surge in plastic production over the years (Llorente-García et al. 2020). In 2018 alone, an astonishing 360 million tons of plastic products were manufactured globally, highlighting the pervasive use of this versatile material (Long et al. 2019). Projections for 2025 estimate an even more substantial production figure of 500 million tons, underscoring the integral role that plastic plays in various industries (Miao et al. 2020). However, the widespread use of plastic has led to environmental concerns due to the durability that makes plastic products so desirable, which results in their persistence in the environment, contributing significantly to pollution. Insufficient recycling infrastructure and inappropriate waste-disposal activities have been directed to the accretion of plastic waste, threatening to ecosystems and wildlife (Duet al. 2021). While recycling efforts are increasingly prevalent, a noteworthy fraction of plastics, approximately one-third, remains either of reduced size or exhibits complex structures that present challenges for an economically feasible recovery (Garcia and Robertson 2017). Initially, there were concerns about plastic contamination, with the alarming statistic that 79% of all plastics were either ending up in landfills or being illegally dumped (Geyer et al. 2017). However, in the present day, we recognize that the problem of pollution does not end there but the issue extends beyond landfills. Plastics have the capacity to migrate within the environment, traversing rivers to reach freshwater bodies like lakes and lagoons, and ultimately making their way to seas and oceans. Using these marine currents, they can travel vast distances, reaching remote parts of the world (Golden et al. 2016). Owing to their natural water-repellent properties and strong resistance to both physical and chemical breakdown, plastics have the ability to migrate from land-based environments to aquatic ecosystems. The ubiquity of plastics has been identified in diverse environmental systems, including groundwater, soil, and even the air. This broad distribution underscores the extensive reach and impact of plastic pollution across various ecological domains (Alimi et al. 2018; Ng et al. 2018; Astner et al. 2019). New studies indicate that there could be around 5.3 trillion plastic particles presently suspended in the sea, equal to 268,940 tons (Eriksen et al. 2014). These particles consist of various plastics prevalent in our communities, such as polyester, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and nylon (Zhang et al. 2016; Sruthy and Ramasamy 2017). Of these, the specific concern is the notable occurrence of micro-sized PE debris (less than 5 mm), which has attracted attention due to the physical harm it imposes on marine life and the growing risks it poses to public health (Weithmann et al. 2018) (Figures 1.2 and 1.3).

Figure 1.2. Total annual research report on micro-plastics and nano-plastics (source: https://media.springernature.com/full/springerstatic/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11157-021-09609-6/MediaObjects/11157_2021_9609_Fig1_HTML.png?as=webp).

Figure 1.3. Fragmentation of plastic waste into micro-plastics and nano-plastics (source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/ae81c136-86ad-453e-b3f6ac94812dd059/adfm202112120-fig-0001-m.jpg).

1.2. MPs and NPs: Sources, impact and health hazards

1.2.1. Micro-plastics

1.2.1.1. Sources and environmental impact

Plastics released into the environment degrade into MPs (less than 5 μm) and NPs (less than 1 μm) through the combined effects of solar radiation, physical forces and biodegradation (Koelmans et al. 2015; van Weert et al. 2019) (Figure 1.4). Primary MPs are purposely developed in small sizes for specific uses, embracing microbeads in personal care products, microfibers in textiles and plastic pellets in manufacturing. Despite their small size, these particles can accumulate in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, posing environmental risks (Cheng et al. 2021). In response to their environmental impact, several countries, involving Canada and the United States, have implemented bans on MPs in cosmetic products (Ballent et al. 2016). Secondary MPs result from the deprivation of larger plastic debris under conditions, for instance heat, sunlight and aeration (Auta et al. 2017). These elements have an extensive surface area relative to their volume, allowing them to absorb and transport harmful persistent bio-accumulative toxins (PBTs) that can adversely affect environmental and biological systems (Chen et al. 2019; Enfrin et al. 2020; Tang et al. 2020). Conversely, plastic degradation in cold and anoxic aquatic environments is extremely slow, taking centuries to progress (Zhang 2017). MPs manifest in various forms, including pellets, fibers, and fragments, as observed in environmental samples (Klein et al. 2015). This diversity in shape and size, coupled with their persistence and potential for harm, underscores significant challenges in managing and mitigating MP pollution.

Figure 1.4. Classification of plastic particles based on particle dimensions (source: https://nanopartikel.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Seize_nanoplastic_final.png.jpg).

1.2.1.2. MPs in aquatic systems and human exposure

MPs have been sensed in numerous water bodies, with one prevalent source being the sewage discharged from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Studies indicate that the treatment processes employed are not entirely effective in retaining MPs, allowing wastewater run-offs contaminated with MPs to enter municipal waters and rivers (Michielssen et al. 2016), eventually finding their way into the ocean. Once within aquatic ecosystems, MPs are ingested by a various range of marine organisms spanning different trophic levels facilitating their entrance into the food chain (Enfrin et al. 2020). These minuscule particles can pass in the human body through breath and absorption, resulting in cellular damage, inflammation and immune responses. Recent studies found MPs in human blood, with 17 out of 22 samples contaminated. Half had PET from drink bottles, one third had PS from food packaging and one quarter...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 2.4.2025
• Reihe/Serie: ISTE Invoiced
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Chemie
• Schlagworte: environmental remediation • environmental wastewater • Materials Science • micro-plastics • nano-plastics • photocatalytic efficiency • Pollutants • spectroscopic analysis
• ISBN-10: 1-394-36188-2 / 1394361882
• ISBN-13: 978-1-394-36188-5 / 9781394361885