Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions
Abstract The decomposed plastic products in the natural environment evolve into tiny plastic particles with characteristics such as small size, lightweight, and difficulty in removal, resulting in a significant pollution issue in aquatic environments. Significant progress has been made in microplast...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54921-0 |
| _version_ | 1797274531129196544 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhenrong Sun Chicheng Ma Chengjiao Yu Zirui Li |
| author_facet | Zhenrong Sun Chicheng Ma Chengjiao Yu Zirui Li |
| author_sort | Zhenrong Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The decomposed plastic products in the natural environment evolve into tiny plastic particles with characteristics such as small size, lightweight, and difficulty in removal, resulting in a significant pollution issue in aquatic environments. Significant progress has been made in microplastic separation technology benefiting from microfluidic chips in recent years. Based on the mechanisms of microfluidic control technology, this study investigates the enrichment and separation mechanisms of polystyrene particles in an unbuffered solution. The Faraday reaction caused by the bipolar electrodes changes the electric field gradient and improves the separation efficiency. We also propose an evaluation scheme to measure the separation efficiency. Finite element simulations are conducted to parametrically analyze the influence of applied voltages, channel geometry, and size of electrodes on plastic particle separation. The numerical cases indicate that the electrode-installed microfluidic channels separate microplastic particles effectively and precisely. The electrodes play an important role in local electric field distribution and trigger violent chemical reactions. By optimizing the microchannel structure, applied voltages, and separation channel angle, an optimal solution for separating microplastic particles can be found. This study could supply some references to control microplastic pollution in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:00:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7cedfe21b6e438da55631caa428410b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:00:43Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7cedfe21b6e438da55631caa428410b2024-03-05T19:12:10ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-02-0114111810.1038/s41598-024-54921-0Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactionsZhenrong Sun0Chicheng Ma1Chengjiao Yu2Zirui Li3School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of TechnologySchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of TechnologySchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of TechnologySchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of TechnologyAbstract The decomposed plastic products in the natural environment evolve into tiny plastic particles with characteristics such as small size, lightweight, and difficulty in removal, resulting in a significant pollution issue in aquatic environments. Significant progress has been made in microplastic separation technology benefiting from microfluidic chips in recent years. Based on the mechanisms of microfluidic control technology, this study investigates the enrichment and separation mechanisms of polystyrene particles in an unbuffered solution. The Faraday reaction caused by the bipolar electrodes changes the electric field gradient and improves the separation efficiency. We also propose an evaluation scheme to measure the separation efficiency. Finite element simulations are conducted to parametrically analyze the influence of applied voltages, channel geometry, and size of electrodes on plastic particle separation. The numerical cases indicate that the electrode-installed microfluidic channels separate microplastic particles effectively and precisely. The electrodes play an important role in local electric field distribution and trigger violent chemical reactions. By optimizing the microchannel structure, applied voltages, and separation channel angle, an optimal solution for separating microplastic particles can be found. This study could supply some references to control microplastic pollution in the future.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54921-0Microplastic particlesBipolar electrodesMicrofluidicsFinite element simulation |
| spellingShingle | Zhenrong Sun Chicheng Ma Chengjiao Yu Zirui Li Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions Scientific Reports Microplastic particles Bipolar electrodes Microfluidics Finite element simulation |
| title | Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions |
| title_full | Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions |
| title_fullStr | Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions |
| title_short | Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions |
| title_sort | microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions |
| topic | Microplastic particles Bipolar electrodes Microfluidics Finite element simulation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54921-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhenrongsun microplasticseparationandenrichmentinmicrochannelsunderderivativeelectricfieldgradientbybipolarelectrodereactions AT chichengma microplasticseparationandenrichmentinmicrochannelsunderderivativeelectricfieldgradientbybipolarelectrodereactions AT chengjiaoyu microplasticseparationandenrichmentinmicrochannelsunderderivativeelectricfieldgradientbybipolarelectrodereactions AT ziruili microplasticseparationandenrichmentinmicrochannelsunderderivativeelectricfieldgradientbybipolarelectrodereactions |