Utilizing biofilm-enhanced coconut coir for microplastic removal in wastewater


Zharkenov Y. Mkilima T. Abduova A. Zhaksylykova L. Turashev A. Imambayeva R. Imambaev N. Jaxymbetova M. Smagulova A. Beysenbaeva E.
June 2024Elsevier Ltd

Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering
2024#9

The pervasive presence and detrimental impact of microplastics in the environment pose a multifaceted and urgent challenge requiring innovative solutions and comprehensive mitigation strategies. This study investigated the efficacy of biofilm-enhanced coconut coir in removing microplastics from wastewater, addressing the pressing issue of microplastic pollution. Through comprehensive experimentation, the adsorption capabilities of coconut coir across various types and sizes of microplastics under different operational conditions were examined. The addition of biofilm significantly enhanced the adsorption capacity of coconut coir, leading to improved microplastic removal efficiencies, with typical specific surface area values increasing from 1000 m2/g to 1200 m2/g and pore volume from 0.5 cm³/g to 0.6 cm³/g with biofilm augmentation. Moreover, the study revealed consistent improvements in microplastic removal efficiency across different types and sizes of microplastics with biofilm presence, ranging from 85 % to 95 %, compared to removal efficiencies varying from 72 % to 82 % without biofilm enhancement. Langmuir analysis revealed that coconut coir exhibited favorable adsorption of microplastics, with and without biofilm, demonstrating high correlations between observed and predicted values (R2 = 0.999). These findings underscore the potential of biofilm-enhanced coconut coir as a promising solution for mitigating microplastic pollution in aquatic environments.

Biofilm , Coconut coir , Contaminants , microplastic , Wastewater treatment

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Department of Civil Engineering, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan
Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, The University of Dodoma, P. O. Box 259, Dodoma, Tanzania
Ecology Department, M. Auezov South Kazakhstan Research University, Kazakhstan
Department of Architecture, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan
Department of Construction and Design, M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University, Petropavlovsk city, Kazakhstan
Department of Standardization, Certification, and Metrology, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan
Department of Business and Management, International university of transportation and humanities, Kazakhstan

Department of Civil Engineering
Department of Environmental Engineering and Management
Ecology Department
Department of Architecture
Department of Construction and Design
Department of Standardization
Department of Business and Management

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