Feasible Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Fiber‐Based Microplastics in Alkaline Media with Bi2O3@N‐TiO2 Z‐Scheme Photocatalytic System. (23rd February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Dawang; Wang, Li; Zhang, Fangzhou; Wu, Jing; Wang, Huaping; Yang, Jianping
• Is Part Of: Advanced sustainable systems. Volume 6:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-02-23
• Subjects: fiber‐based microplastics -- photocatalytic degradation -- polyethylene terephthalate -- z‐scheme heterojunctions; Sustainable living -- Periodicals; Sustainability -- Periodicals; Green technology -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 628
• DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202100516
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2366-7486

Abstract

Abstract: Fiber‐based microplastic (FMP) pollution in the wastewater of the textile industry and urban sewage has become an emerging issue and a potential threat to marine life and human health. However, most reported reduction strategies, such as physical adsorption/filtration and chemical‐catalytic degradation are limited by the secondary pollution caused by the desorption of FMPs and inferior degradation performance. Advanced technologies for efficient FMP control remain largely insufficient and underdeveloped. This work reports a Z‐scheme Bi2 O3 @N‐TiO2 heterojunction synthesized by a solvothermal and wet‐impregnation strategy. Bi2 O3 @N‐TiO2 degrades ≈10.23 ± 1.91 wt% of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐FMPs (a major FMP existing in the environment) at pH = 9, which is nearly three times higher than that at pH = 7. Experimental results show that the hydrolysis of PET‐FMPs in alkaline media is the main reason for the superior performance. Importantly, the hydrophilic, weight‐average molecular weight and crystallinity of PET‐FMP are the key factors affecting the photocatalytic degradation performance of PET‐FMPs. This study demonstrates an eco‐friendly strategy for remediation of FMP contamination. Abstract : A Z‐scheme Bi2 O3 @N‐TiO2 heterojunction is fabricated through a solvothermal, wet‐impregnation, and calcination strategy. An impressive photocatalytic degradation performance (weight loss = 10.23 ± 1.91%) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)‐fiber‐based microplastics (FMPs), which are defined as plastic fragments with diameters less than 5 mm and a high aspect ratio, can be achieved in alkaline media. This work is expected to provide guidance for the effective elimination of PET‐FMPs.