MICROPLASTICS REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER BY CENTRIFUGATION PROCESS

• Main Author: Rahmawati, Aisa
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik saniter dan perkotaan; teknik perlindungan lingkungan
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/62435
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Microplastics can be found anywhere, either land, water or in the air. Currently, microplastics have become a global concern and can be referred to as new pollutants due to their toxic properties that can disrupt ecosystems, especially for aquatic ecosystems. The source of microplastics, both primary and secondary microplastics in the waters is dominated from activities on land. The study of microplastics in Indonesia is still dominated by the identification and characterization of microplastics, while studies on the removal of microplastics by various methods are still limited. Physical removal is a relatively simple process, one of which is by using a centrifugation process. This study is an initial study conducted to determine the effectiveness of microplastic removal using a centrifugation process with variable size, time, and centrifugation speed. Because the purpose of this study was to observe the effect of these variables on the effectiveness of microplastic removal, the sample used was artificial sample that had been conditioned so as not to contain inhibitor materials. This research uses HDPE plastic because its density is similar to water. From the results of the study, it was found that the effectiveness of removing microplastics measuring between 0.210 mm - 0.841mm (mesh no. 20, 30, and 70) reached more than 80%. The highest removal was found in microplastic mesh no.20 with an average removal of more than 90% with the optimum time of centrifugation for microplastic removal was obtained at 15 minutes, while the centrifugation speed variable did not significantly affect this study. Experiments in the centrifugation process by replacing the density of a more concentrated liquid using a sucrose solution showed an increase in the efficiency of removing microplastics.