Remediation of Microplastics from Water Sources with Zeolite Y Derived from Aluminosilicate Industrial Wastes

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) are minute polymeric particles generated by abiotic and biotic stress and gradual plastic degradation. Their nonbiodegradability and widespread dispersion, especially in aquatic environments, make eradication a major environmental concern. The diminutive size of MPs facilitate their transfer through multiple filtration systems, complicating their removal from water. Significant long-term health risks have been detected in several human tissues due to MPs. This study aims for the remediation of MPs mainly polypropylene from water by the zeolite Y synthesized from aluminosilicate industrial waste (coal fly ash) through adsorption method, both prepared through sono assisted process. Zeolite composites, integrated with appropriate functional components, are also synthesized for comparative analysis and to enhance efficacy and recovery rates. Zeolite serves as an excellent porous adsorbent material for the adsorption of MPs due to the negative charge of MPs. The removal efficiency was found 94.95% at 2 ppm concentration of MPs, adsorbent dosage of 10 mg and at pH 7. The experimental data from the adsorption kinetic study was well fitted with pseudo-second order kinetic model with R2 value 0.99982 and from the adsorption isotherm study was fitted the best with Langmuir isotherm model with R2 value 0.99843. XRD, FESEM, EDX, Raman and FTIR confirmed 91.38% crystallinity, tetrahedral morphology, elemental composition and has a Si/Al ratio more than 1.5, with appropriate functional groups respectively. Surface area is determined to be 525.862 m²/g by BET and the lattice pattern and porous structure was identified by HR-TEM.