Abstract:
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.
