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Alkoxy-silyl Induced Agglomeration: A New Approach for the Sustainable Removal of Microplastic from Aquatic Systems

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Abstract

The substance class of inert organic-chemical stressors (IOCS) describes organic-chemical (macro-) molecules, which demonstrate a high level of persistence upon entry in the ecosystem, and whose degradation is limited. These synthetically produced organic-chemical macromolecules, which are often derived from the polymerization of different monomers, are, in the form of plastics, indispensable in the everyday world. They enter the environmental compartments and cause great damage due to primary (industry, cosmetic, washing of textile), and secondary (degradation) entry. If these particles get into aquatic systems, this has fatal consequences for the ecosystem such as the death of marine animals, or bioaccumulation. Wastewater treatment plants are reaching their limits and require innovative ideas for the sustainable removal of microplastic. This article examines a new approach to the removal of polymers from aquatic systems (lab scale) by using sol–gel induced agglomeration reactions to form larger particle agglomerates. These enlarged agglomerates can be separated much more easily from the wastewater, since they float on the water surface. Separation systems, e.g. sand trap can easily be used. A further advantage is that the agglomeration can be carried out completely independently of the type, size, and amount of the trace substance concentration as well as of the external influences (pH value, temperature, pressure). Thus, this new type of particle separation can not only be used in sewage treatment plants, but can also be transferred to decentralized systems (e.g. implementation in industrial processes).

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Acknowledgements

The research projects of Wasser 3.0 (http://www.wasserdreinull.de) are conducted by means of the financial support by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (KF3147102RH4) through the provision of ZIM (Central Innovation Program for SME) project funds. The enterprise abcr GmbH (http://www.abcr.de) from Karlsruhe (GERMANY) is directly involved in the project as an industrial partner for the material science scale-up. IR spectra are provided by SAS Hagmann (http://www.sas-hagmann.de) from Horb am Neckar (GERMANY). NMR spectra are additionally provided by University of Heidelberg’s research group of Prof. Dr. Markus Enders (GERMANY).

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  1. Institute for Environmental Sciences Landau, University of Koblenz – Landau, Fortstr. 7, 76829, Landau, Germany

    Adrian Frank Herbort, Michael Toni Sturm, Simone Fiedler, Golnar Abkai & Katrin Schuhen

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Herbort, A.F., Sturm, M.T., Fiedler, S. et al. Alkoxy-silyl Induced Agglomeration: A New Approach for the Sustainable Removal of Microplastic from Aquatic Systems. J Polym Environ 26, 4258–4270 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-018-1287-3

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