Is it possible to efficiently and sustainably remove microplastics from sediments using froth flotation?

Microplastics (MPs) contamination in sediments is becoming an intractable environmental issue. Numerous methods are proposed for removing microplastics from aqueous solution, however, the techniques developed for microplastic removal from sediments have been rarely reported. To target the dilemma, this work innovatively applied froth flotation to the MPs removal from beach and lake sediments. Interestingly, we found that the sediment particle adhered to the MPs surfaces resulted in unavailable attachment of air bubbles to MPs surfaces. The effects of pH, salinity, moisture, MPs property, sediment type, and incubation time on MPs flotation were systematically investigated. According to characterization, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was only covered by aluminosilicate, while acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) interacted with aluminosilicate and quartz. Analysis of Extended Derjaguin Landau Verwey Overbeek (EDLVO) further confirmed that the stronger electrostatic repulsion between PVC and sediment contributed to the higher energy barrier. However, sediment particles were easier to adhere to ABS with less negative surface potential. Besides, metal ions adsorbed on MPs surfaces might serve as a bridge to link MPs and sediment particles. To improve the flotation performance, a flotation process combined 10 g/ton of sodium oleate could achieve approximately 100% removal of MPs. To further evaluate the applicability of froth flotation, we conducted life cycle assessment (LCA) and economic assessment. Froth flotation outperformed other separation methods in all environment categories. The cost of froth flotation, mostly electricity, was much lower than other removal technologies. Overall, this work provided an effective and sustainable candidate for MPs removal from the sediment environment.

Automated summary

This study innovatively applied froth flotation to remove microplastics from beach and lake sediments. It was found that sediment particles adhered to microplastics surfaces, preventing air bubbles from attaching to the microplastics. The effects of various factors on microplastic flotation were systematically investigated, and a flotation process combined with sodium oleate showed promising results for microplastics removal. In addition, metal ions adsorbed on microplastics surfaces played a role in linking microplastics and sediment particles. Life cycle assessment and economic assessment confirmed the effectiveness and cost advantage of froth flotation for microplastics removal.