A dimensionally stable anode DSA-coated titanium electrode (RuO2-IrO2/Ti) for electrocoagulation removal of polystyrene microplastics

With the increasing severity of microplastic (MPs) pollution in aquatic environments, the process of removing MPs from water environments by electrocoagulation (EC) technology has attracted widespread attention. In this study, EC using a dimensionally stable anode (DSA)-coated Ti electrode (RuO₂-IrO₂/Ti) under pulsed current was employed to treat wastewater containing polystyrene (PS) MPs. The effects of factors such as electrolyte concentration, initial solution pH, current density, pulse frequency, and pulse duty cycle on the PS removal efficiency were investigated. The results showed that the maximum PS removal of 94.2 % was achieved with an energy consumption of 5.5 kWh/g. The removal mechanism of PS was elucidated through analyses including scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of electrode, X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared, and zeta potential measurement of the flocs. Finally, the article conducts an economic analysis of this technology and provides an outlook on its application prospects. This study confirms that the EC technology using RuO₂-IrO₂/Ti can remove MPs from wastewater effectively, which may provide new insights for the development of MPs removal technologies.