Research Projects

Research focusing on the ill effects of microplastics (MPs) and their removal technologies from the environment is rapidly expanding due to the growing awareness of adverse impacts caused on the ecosystem and human beings. Among all the technologies explored till date for the removal of MPs, the application of electro-peroxidation (EPO) has not been explored in India. Moreover, the MPs treated through EPO are converted into non-toxic substances, whereas using traditional physical treatment methods, even with higher efficiencies, holds the toxicity of substances intact, which cannot be termed as sustainable. Primary sedimentation tanks and aeration tanks of sewage treatment plants (STP) have reported MP removal of 33.75% and 20.07% respectively, but since STPs are not designed for MP removal, the majority of MPs accumulate in the sludge and the other escapes out of STPs and reach rivers and oceans. Thus, in order to assess the escape of MPs into water bodies and the accumulation of MPs within the excluded sludge from STPs, the effectiveness of the treatment technologies employed in STPs needs to be analyzed. This further aids in understanding the extent of MP pollution STPs are causing in our surrounding environment. Moreover, there is a huge need to understand the significance of operational parameters such as pH, electrolyte type and current requirements in the MP mineralization process to enhance the viability of the treatment technique. Even though preliminary works are being done to rectify the research gaps on MP removal through electrochemical processes, the optimal parameters for efficient MP removal need to be addressed to enhance the economic and technical feasibility of the process, which will expedite the commercialization of the same. Additionally, the environmental impacts and the economic feasibility of the treatment process will be studied using life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic assessment (TEA) to ensure that the treatment method is technologically, ecologically and economically feasible. Furthermore, a novel, low-cost and non-destructive method for MP detection will be developed through the project to analyse the quantity of MPs through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which also focuses on the reusability of the aqueous sample. Thus, in a nutshell, the proposed project focuses on the holistic removal of MPs from water matrices in a technologically effective manner, prioritizing sustainability and cost-effectiveness through a fresh and novel perspective.