A critical review of microplastic degradation and material flow analysis towards a circular economy

Cholewinski, Aleksander; Dadzie, Eugenia; Sherlock, Cassandra; Anderson, William A.; Charles, Trevor C.; Habib, Komal; Young, Steven B.; Zhao, Boxin

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120334

Cited by 32 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…When talking about degradation in the formation of microplastics, it is necessary to understand what is the final limit of this process, the cracking that occurs in plastic, vinyl, rubberized parts, has drawn the attention of research, mechanical stimuli, exposure to weather, photooxidation reactions are extremely relevant points for the formation of these compounds that favor the formation of the autocatalytic cycle, massifying the environmental liability through broken and dispersed particles, as shown in Figure 1. The question raised earlier about the limit of oxidative degradation is a key point in understanding the formation of microplastics, observing this premise Cholewinski et al 13,14 show in their studies relevant aspects of the contaminant level, its influence on the entire soil macrobiotic system, the methanogenic action for the enzymatic degradation of particles, and the possibility of generating a circular economy with this passive. The authors are very straightforward when they raise in their studies the potential for contamination generated by free radicals formed in the process described above and their chemical affinity to non-polar solvents.…”

Section: Oxidative Degradationmentioning

confidence: 98%

Microplastics, physical-chemical and biological principles of this environmental liability

Oliveira,

Couto,

Oliveira

et al. 2024

MSEIJ

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The advent of plastic to the social situation has suppressed a series of demands from both the industry and the population, due to cost, durability and disposal. Because they can be rigid, malleable, opaque, translucent, easy or difficult to melt by the action of fire, some make them capable of serving as raw material for various products on the market, including those widely used in the food industry. In view of the above, the present study aims at a bibliographical review on the topic of microplastics, where the search will be to verify the primary and secondary steps necessary for the formation of the compound, its direct and indirect influence on food production, the physical-chemical processes through which compounds are obtained and the presence or absence of regulation regarding this environmental liability. The present study aims to analyze as a basis the search for knowledge of the primary and secondary formation of microplastics. Subsequently, together with its main objective, this study aims to search for the physico-chemical and thermodynamic phenomena involved in the process of formation and obtaining of microplastics, the polluting potential and, like all waste, its implications for human health. A study horizon was established covering the years 2015 to 2023, where 3,750 articles were found and after applying open access filters, duplication of publication, words present only in the abstract and not in the text, 49 articles remained that are the object of this study. The direct implications of microplastic pollution are already a relevant reason for discussion and subsequent regulation by managers, researchers, international organizations and society in general. Public health problems that can transform into microplastics, containment and adsorption mechanisms of these compounds in living organisms, are points to be pursued by academia as a whole. Contamination by these compounds was found in bottled mineral water, human milk, processed foods, seafood, showing the extent of contamination of this material.

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Section: Oxidative Degradationmentioning

confidence: 98%

Microplastics, physical-chemical and biological principles of this environmental liability

Oliveira,

Couto,

Oliveira

et al. 2024

MSEIJ

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“…Microplastics are considered as a renewable energy raw material to ensure energy sustainability, which may solve the source and environmental impact of microplastics from the perspective of the source and environmental cycle. Some studies also reported that microplastics can be degraded and converted into biodegradable polymers, which forms the core of converting waste into biopolymers to be integrated into the circular economy [86]. The recycling and utilization of microplastics through the circular economy system has been recognized as a potential and efficient way to solve the pollution of microplastics, but research on this convenience is still in its infancy [87].…”

Section: Recycling Microplastics In Circular Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastic Pollution in Water Systems: Characteristics and Control Methods

Ma,

Chao,

Wan

et al. 2024

Diversity

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Microplastics have been widely detected in the natural water environment, which brings inevitable risks to the water ecosystem and human health. However, the understanding of the potential impact of microplastics on aquatic animals, plants, and human health is still limited, and technical methods to control microplastic pollution in natural water are still rare. Hence, this paper summarizes the progress of research on microplastic pollution in water systems in terms of microplastic source, attributes, distribution characteristics, environmental effects, and prevention and control methods according to the relevant research reports on water microplastic pollution. It also expounds the basic ways for the prevention, control, and treatment of water microplastics, and looks forward to the research direction of water microplastic pollution in the future. The results show that the abundance of fresh water microplastics in China is higher than that in other regions, but the pollution level of marine microplastics is at the middle level. Compared with other countries, the pollution degree of microplastics in aquatic organisms in China is at the middle and lower level, but the spatial heterogeneity is more obvious. Through hydraulic control and the substitution of degradable plastic products, water microplastic pollution can be greatly reduced. This paper can provide a reference basis for the formulation of microplastic pollution prevention and control in China.

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“…To eliminate the negative effects that are originated from irresponsible management of postconsumer plastics, an attractive approach towards plastic degradation is presented via semiconductor photocatalysis. As mentioned above, photodegradation of plastic wastes into CO 2 and H 2 O has been implemented via using TiO 2 ‐based, ZnO‐based, and BiOX‐based photocatalysts with high oxidation potential that contributes to deep oxidation 105–108 …”

Section: Photocatalytic Plastic Conversionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As mentioned above, photodegradation of plastic wastes into CO 2 and H 2 O has been implemented via using TiO 2 -based, ZnO-based, and BiOX-based photocatalysts with high oxidation potential that contributes to deep oxidation. [105][106][107][108] The refractory plastic wastes as feedstocks utilized in photocatalysis can be categorized into two regimes: raw plastics and plastic-derived monomers. Of note, the constituent monomers originated from plastics depolymerization features high content of hydroxyl groups, which endows a good water-solubility and thus favors the photocatalytic plastic transformation.…”

Section: Photodegradation Of Plastic Wastesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial photosynthesis bringing new vigor into plastic wastes

Kang

Sun

et al. 2023

SmartMat

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The accumulation of plastic wastes in landfills and the environment threatens our environment and public health, while leading to the loss of potential carbon resources. The urgent necessary lies in developing an energy‐saving and environmentally benign approach to upgrade plastic into value‐added chemicals. Artificial photosynthesis holds the ability to realize plastic upcycling by using endless solar energy under mild conditions, but remains in the initial stage for plastic upgrading. In this review, we aim to look critically at the photocatalytic conversion of plastic wastes from the perspective of resource reutilization. To begin with, we present the emerging conversion routes for plastic wastes and highlight the advantages of artificial photosynthesis for processing plastic wastes. By parsing photocatalytic plastic conversion process, we demonstrate the currently available routes for processing plastic, including plastic photodegradation, tandem decomposition of plastic and CO2 reduction, selective plastic oxidation, as well as photoreforming of plastic. This review concludes with a personal perspective for potential advances and emerging challenges in photocatalytic plastic conversion.

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A critical review of microplastic degradation and material flow analysis towards a circular economy

Cited by 32 publications

References 89 publications

Microplastics, physical-chemical and biological principles of this environmental liability

Microplastics, physical-chemical and biological principles of this environmental liability

Microplastic Pollution in Water Systems: Characteristics and Control Methods

Artificial photosynthesis bringing new vigor into plastic wastes

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