| Title: | When technology meets sustainability: microplastic removal from industrial wastewater, including impact analysis and life cycle assessment |
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| Authors: | ID Puhar, Jan (Author)
ID Sturm, Michael Toni (Author)
ID Myers, Erika (Author)
ID Schober, Dennis (Author)
ID Korzin, Anika (Author)
ID Vujanović, Annamaria (Author)
ID Schuhen, Katrin (Author) |
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| Files: |  water-17-00671.pdf (1,70 MB)
MD5: D8E427339AC14A7DB6216FA8A6426E5C
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| Language: | English |
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| Work type: | Unknown |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: | FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
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| Abstract: | Microplastics (MPs) that are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and industrial wastewater streams have been identified as key hotspots of MP contamination. It is significantly more effective to remove MPs at these points before they enter municipal wastewater streams. This study is an environmental assessment of a novel pilot plant for the removal of MPs and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater with a high MP contamination from a plastics manufacturer in Germany. MP removal is based on physical–chemical agglomeration–fixation by organosilanes. Formed agglomerates are separated using a belt filter. The COD is removed by an adsorption process. The resulting MP removal was 98.0 ± 1.1% by mass and 99.9987 ± 0.0007% by particle count, while the COD was reduced by 96 ± 2.7%. The system’s sustainability is evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, evaluating system construction, operation, and end-of-life considerations. The current pilot plant is also compared to an optimized circular and sustainable upgrade, where drivers of environmental burdens are eliminated and collected MPs are reused. Significant reductions in environmental impact categories are achieved and the global warming potential is reduced by 96%. This study provides a sustainability assessment of a novel technology and circular solution to remove MPs from highly polluted industrial wastewater. |
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| Keywords: | microplastics, life cycle assessment, impact analysis, removal technology, sustainable process design, carbon footprint, water quality, circular economy |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Submitted for review: | 19.02.2025 |
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| Article acceptance date: | 21.02.2025 |
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| Publication date: | 25.02.2025 |
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| Year of publishing: | 2025 |
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| Number of pages: | 21 str. |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 17, iss. 5, [article no.] 671 |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DKUM-92143  |
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| UDC: | 66 |
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| ISSN on article: | 2073-4441 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 228961283 |
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| Copyright: | © 2025 by the authors |
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| Publication date in DKUM: | 14.03.2025 |
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| Views: | 0 |
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| Downloads: | 4 |
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| Metadata: |    |
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| Categories: | Misc.
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