Abstract
Microplastics, defined as plastics particles with the size larger than 1 μm and smaller than 5 mm, are emerging pollutants of rising concern, due to their ubiquitous presence in the environment and long degradation time in the environment. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of methods for efficient methods for MP removal and environmental remediation. Photocatalysis is of particular interest for this, as it can achieve both MP photocatalytic degradation into non-toxic chemicals and MP photocatalytic reforming into useful chemicals, depending on the photocatalyst used and reaction conditions. For the former process, the lack of selectivity is an advantage as mixtures of MPs, including additives and environmental contamination, can be degraded. The latter process, which is usually optimized for the desired degradation product, is usually applicable for a specific type of plastics but it has an advantage of providing economic incentives for MP removal. In this talk, principles of photocatalysis under solar illumination will be introduced, followed by discussion of different photocatalysts, which are capable of complete mineralization or hydrogen production from polyolefin microplastics. The suitability of the process for removal of MPs is demonstrated not only on model pollutants (pure MPs) but also on MPs collected from the environment.
Anyone interested is welcome to attend.