A new technique using diamonds and titanium has the potential to help eliminate plastic microfibers before they enter the environment by degrading them into naturally occurring molecules.It's a secret that the fashion industry wants to keep, as most of our synthetic garments are made of plastic and they contribute to big problems by releasing micro-plastic fibers into our wastewater.The release of microplastics into the marine environment has been recognized as a major problem related to water pollution, indicating that in the aquatic environment these microplastics absorb toxins and aquatic life," he said. It can be eaten, ”researchers from the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) in Canada explain in a new paper.
After that, they accumulate in the food chain and then come to
slotxo humans.There are many ways in which plastic can be released into the environment, from plastic packaging to car tires. But until recently, one of the biggest contributors - microfiber from our clothes - was largely overlooked.When garments made from fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic are washed, small plastic microfibers will loosen from the material and enter the sewage and if not taken out through our water.A new way to dispose of plastics is called electrooxidation Not just catching fibers But also actively separating the structure Using electrodes we generate hydroxyl radicals (· OH) to attack microplastics," said lead researcher Patrick Drogui, an electrical technology researcher.The process is environmentally friendly because it breaks down into CO2 and water molecules, which are not ecologically toxic.
When the researchers used boron-doped diamonds and titanium electrodes in water contaminated with artificial 26 μm polystyrene, they found that at the six-hour mark, 89 percent of the plastics were digested. crumble There are still some errors that must be ironed out in the process. The use of diamonds is surprisingly expensive, although the team explains that the components can be recycled for years.The researchers will also have to experiment using actual wastewater to determine if the process is effective when other contaminants are present, so far, the team has only tested polystyrene plastics.In the future, they hope to combine something like this with your commercial washing machine or even your washing machine. But that is the solution.When this commercial laundry water arrives at the wastewater treatment plant, it mixes with large amounts of water, the pollutants are more difficult to dilute and digest," Drogui said.
On the other hand, the action at situ, that is, at the washing of the microplastic concentration is higher. (Per liter of water) can therefore be degraded by electricity more Today, 80 percent of the world's wastewater is not treated before returning to the environment, so there is a lot of work to be done in this area.It's important to note that this isn't the only way to remove plastic from our waste water. Many wastewater treatment plants use a process that captures 99 percent of particles larger than 20 micrometers, but that means you have to do something with the plastic when it gets caught, which is a problem with the electro-oxidation process. Can be edited as well Moreover, with the textile fabric made up of most of the microplastics in the ocean, we can't get rid of them close enough.Obviously, one of the easiest ways to stop the shedding of garments is to stop using plastic in garments. This will require drastic changes in the way garments are manufactured, consumed and controlled.But for all the plastics that are already in our consumer systems, it's nice to know that soon there may be other ways to get rid of microfibers before they have a chance of damaging them.
