Tackling microplastics pollution by advanced oxidation processes

塑料在水生环境中的积累是一个日益受到关注的全球性问题。被称为微塑料（MP）的小塑料颗粒约占塑料废物总量的92%。许多生物可以摄取多聚己胺，最终通过食物链转移到人类身上。MPs可对生物体造成毒性和不良影响，包括内分泌紊乱、死亡、排卵延迟和肝脏应激。高级氧化工艺（AOPs）已被证明是处理这类生物顽固性污染物的有效方法。AOPs的主要优势在于，它们能在原位产生活性氧，而活性氧又能与污染物发生反应，最终将其矿化为安全的最终产品。使用适当的AOP作为常规生物处理的预处理可以导致有机含量的部分矿化，同时伴随着处理后出水的解毒和生物降解性的改善。该项目的目的是探索和开发新的可持续和高效的技术，以去除水和废水中的微塑料。

The accumulation of plastics in the aquatic environment is a global issue of emerging concern. Small plastic particles known as microplastics (MP) represent about 92% of the total plastic waste. Many organisms can ingest MP, which are eventually transferred to humans through food chain. MPs can cause toxic and adverse effects on organisms, including endocrine disruption, mortality, delayed ovulation, and hepatic stress.Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been proved effective for the treatment of such biologically recalcitrant pollutants. The key advantage of AOPs is that they generate, in-situ, reactive oxygen species, which, in turn, react with the pollutants and eventually mineralize them to safe final products. Using an appropriate AOP as a pre-treatment to conventional biological treatment can lead to partial mineralization of organic content, accompanied with detoxification and biodegradability improvement of the treated effluent.The aim of this project is to explore and develop new sustainable and efficient technologies to remove microplastics from water and wastewater.