Removal Effect of Coagulating Sedimentation Method on Polyethylene Microplastics in Water

Microplastic is a new kind of pollutant.It exists widely in the aquatic environment and seriously endangers the aquatic ecosystem.In this study,the coagulating sedimentation method was used to remove microplastics in water.Polyethylene(PE)was selected as the representative of microplastics,polyferric sulfate(PFS),polyaluminum chloride(PAC)and aluminum sulfate(AS)were used as coagulant,and polyacrylamide(PAM)was used as coagulant aid to study the effects of pH,coagulant concentration and sedimentation time on the removal of PE by single and composite coagulant.The results showed that when the dosage of PFS was 0.5 g/L and pH was 5.0,the removal rate could reach 82.14%,which was better than PAC and AS,indicating that PFS had better coagulation and sedimentation performance for PE;the composite coagulant of PFS+PAC+AS(1 g/L+0.2 g/L+0.2 g/L,pH was 5.0)had the highest removal rate of PE,reaching 96.06%;the removal rate of PE increased with the increase in sedimentation time,but considering that the longer sedimentation time has less contribution to the improvement of removal rate,it is recommended that 4 h is appropriate.

Molecular Dynamics-Based Simulation of Polyethylene Pipe Degradation in High Temperature and High Pressure Conditions

High-density polyethylene(HDPE)pipes have gradually become the first choice for gas networks because of their excellent characteristics.As the use of pipes increases,there will unavoidably be a significant amount of waste generated when the pipes cease their operation life,which,if improperly handled,might result in major environmental contamination issues.In this study,the thermal degradation of polyethylene materials is simulated for different pressures(10,50,100,and 150 MPa)and temperatures(2300,2500,2700,and 2900 K)in the framework of Reactive Force Field(ReaxFF)molecular dynamics simulation.The main gas products,density,energy,and the mean square displacement with temperature and pressure are also calculated.The findings indicate that raising the temperature leads to an increase in the production of gas products,while changing the pressure has an impact on the direction in which the products are generated;the faster the temperature drops,the less dense the air;both temperature and pressure increase impact the system’s energy conversion or distribution mechanism,changing the system’s potential energy as well as its total energy;the rate at which molecules diffuse increases with temperature,and decreases with pressure.The results of this investigation provide a theoretical basis for the development of the pyrolytic treatment of polyethylene waste materials.

Fracture Characterization of High-Density Polyethylene Materials Using the Energetic Criterias

Impact behavior of polymers has received considerable attention in recent years,and much work based on fracture mechanic approaches has been carried out.In this paper,fracture behavior in large deformation of a high density polyethylene(HDPE)materials was investigated through experimental impact testing on single edge notched specimen(SENB)and by using theoretical and analytical fracture criteria concepts.Moreover,a review of the main fracture criteria is given in order to characterize the toughness of this polymer in the both cases(static and dynamic).The fractured specimens obtained from the Charpy impact test were characterized with respect to their fracture surfaces.Characteristic zones of the fracture surface can be assigned to different stages and mechanisms of the fracture process.Finally,for a better understanding of fracture and damage mechanisms and to provide the best estimation of fracture toughness in impact,an experimental approach based on microscopic observations(SEM)was used.

Micromechanical analysis on tensile properties prediction of discontinuous randomized zalacca fibre/high-density polyethylene composites under critical fibre length

In this research,the tensile properties'performance of compression moulded discontinuous randomized zalacca fibre/high-density polyethylene under critical fibre length was analysed by means of experimental method and micromechanical models.These investigations were used to verify the tensile properties models toward the effect of fibre length and volume fraction on the composites.The experimental results showed that the tensile properties of composites had significantly increased due to the enhancement of fibre length.On the contrary,a decline in the tensile properties was observed with the increase of volume fraction.A comparison was made between the available experimental results and the performances of Tsai-Pagano,Christensen and Cox-Krechel models in their prediction of composites elastic modulus.The results showed that the consideration of fibre's elastic anisotropy in the Cox-Krenchel model had yielded a good prediction of the composites modulus,nevertheless the models could not accurately predict the composites modulus for fibre length study.

Characterization and Comparison of Rheological Properties of Agro Fiber Filled High-Density Polyethylene Bio-Composites

The rheological behavior of composites made with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and different agro fiber by-products such as corncob (CCF), Rice hull (RHF), Flax shives (FSF) and Walnut shell (WSF) flour of 60 - 100 mesh were studied. The experimental results were obtained from samples containing 65 vol.% agro fiber and 3 wt.% lubricant. Particle sizes distribution of the agro fibers was in the range of 0.295 mm to ?0.125 mm. SEM showed evidence of complete matrix/fiber impregnation or wetting. The melt rheological data in terms of complex viscosity (η*), storage modulus (G'), loss modulus (G"), and loss tangent (tanδ) were evaluated and compared for different samples. Due to higher probability of agglomeration formation in the samples containing 65 vol.% of agro fillers, the storage modulus, loss modulus and complex viscosity of these samples were high. The unique change in all the samples is due to the particle size distribution of the agro fibers. The storage and loss modulus increased with increasing shear rates for all the composites, except for Walnut shell composite which exhibited unusual decrease in storage modulus with increasing shear rate. Damping factor (tanδ) decreased with increasing shear rate for all the composites at 65 vol.% filler load although there were differences among the composites. Maximum torque tended to increase at the 65 vol.% agro fiber load for all composites. Corncob and Walnut shell composites gave higher torque and steady state torque values in comparison with Flax shives and Rice hull composites due to differences in particle sizes distribution of the agro fibers.

Accurate detection method of high-density polyethylene fi lm leakage location based on secondary electric potential difference

High-density polyethylene(HDPE)film leakage location detection is frequently accomplished using the double-electrode technique.The electric potential and potential difference are the main physical parameters in the double-electrode approach.Due to the impact of the complex geoelectric environment,the electric potential and the electric potential difference are not sensitive enough to respond to minimal leakage.The tiny leaking area cannot be precisely located using the electric potential and electric potential difference.Using the COMSOL Multiphysics software,this study created a standard geoelectric model of the double-electrode method.We calculated a new parameter—the G parameter through secondary electric potential difference—based on the response characteristics of the electric potential and the electric potential difference while the HDPEfilm is leaking.The experiment demonstrates that the G parameter is more sensitive than the electric potential and electric potential difference for detecting the leaking area of HDPE film.The G parameter is more effective at detecting leakage than the electric potential and electric potential difference.The results of this study can be used to locate HDPEfilm leakage areas in a landfill.

A New Selective Neural Network Ensemble Method Based on Error Vectorization and Its Application in High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) Cascade Reaction Process

Chemical processes are complex, for which traditional neural network models usually can not lead to satisfactory accuracy. Selective neural network ensemble is an effective way to enhance the generalization accuracy of networks, but there are some problems, e.g., lacking of unified definition of diversity among component neural networks and difficult to improve the accuracy by selecting if the diversities of available networks are small. In this study, the output errors of networks are vectorized, the diversity of networks is defined based on the error vectors, and the size of ensemble is analyzed. Then an error vectorization based selective neural network ensemble (EVSNE) is proposed, in which the error vector of each network can offset that of the other networks by training the component networks orderly. Thus the component networks have large diversity. Experiments and comparisons over standard data sets and actual chemical process data set for production of high-density polyethylene demonstrate that EVSNE performs better in generalization ability.

Decorative Wood Fiber/High-Density Polyethylene Composite with Canvas or Polyester Fabric

Wood-plastic composite is an environmentally friendly material,due to its use of recycled thermoplastics and plant fibers.However,its surface lacks attractive aesthetic qualities.In this paper,a method of decorating wood fiber/high-density polyethylene(WF/HDPE)without adding adhesive was explored.Canvas or polyester fabrics were selected as the surface decoration materials.The influence of hot-pressing temperature and WF/HDPE ratio on the adhesion was studied.The surface bonding strength,water resistance,and surface color were evaluated,and observation within the infrared spectrum and under scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the bonding process.The results showed that the fabric and WF/HDPE substrate could be closely laminated together depending on the HDPE layer accumulated on the WF/HDPE surface.The molten HDPE matrix penetrates canvas more easily than polyester fabric,and the canvasveneered composite shows a greater bonding strength than does the polyester fabric-veneered composite.A higher proportion of the thermoplastic component in the substrate improved the bonding.When the hot-pressing temperature exceeded 160°C,the fabric-veneered WF/HDPE panels had greater water resistance,although the canvas fabric changed more obviously in terms of fiber shape and color,compared with the polyester fabric.For the canvas fabric,140°C–160°C was a suitable hot-pressing temperature,whereas 160°C–180°C was more suitable for polyester fabric.The proportion of the thermoplastic component in the composite should be not less than 30%to achieve adequate bonding strength.

Studies on the Effects of Bentonite (Nanoclay) on the Mechanical Properties of High-Density Polyethylene

In this work, the effect of Bentonite (Nanoclay) on the mechanical and mor-phology properties of HDPE/Nanoclay composite pipe material was investi-gated. This led to the development of a composite material with improved me-chanical properties. The HDPE/nanoclay composites were produced using an injection moulding machine at 200?C and rotor speed of 50 rpm. The compati-bilizer used in this study was Polyethylene-graft-Maleic Anhydride. Different compositions of nanoclay reinforcements were prepared and added to HDPE resin. A particle size of 425 μm was used in proportions of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% on weight fraction basis. All the composites samples were characterized by Zwick Roell tensile testing machine and Scanning Election Microscopy (SEM). Experimental results obtained showed improvements in the tensile strength, and modulus at the expense of elongation. The maximum tensile strength and modulus was obtained at 10% filler composition. These enhanced properties are due to the homogenous dispersion of nanoclay in HDPE matrix, which is evident from the structure that was evaluated using SEM.

High-Density Polyethylene Based on Exfoliated Graphite Nanoplatelets/Nano-Magnesium Oxide: An Investigation of Thermal Properties and Morphology

In this study, high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/exfoliated graphite nanoplatelet (xGnP) composites reinforced with a 2 wt.% concentration of nano-magnesia (n-MgO) were fabricated using an injection moulding machine. The thermal properties and morphological structures of the composites were investigated. The XRD results showed the peaks of xGnP and n-MgO, where the intensity of the xGnP peaks became stronger with adding increasing amounts of xGnP into the polymermatrix. In terms of morphology, some agglomeration of particles was observed within the matrix, and the agglomeration decreased the thermal properties of the composites. The nanocomposites showed less thermal stability than the pristine polymer. The reduction in the onset temperature compared to that of neat HDPE was attributed to less adhesion between the fillers and the matrix. In addition, the crystallinity was reduced by the addition of fillers.

Influence of polyethylene microplastics on Brassica rapa:Toxicity mechanism investigation

Polyethylene microplastics(PE-MPs)have toxicity to ecological environment,including animals and plants.This study investigated the toxicity of photodegraded PE-MPs on Brassica rapa,which is a typical model plant and only have around a 30-day life cycle.It is noted that the presence of photodegraded PEMPs inhibited Brassica rapa growth since the stem length decreased by 11.94%-51.11%while the fresh weight and dry weight decreased by 18.56%e27.46%and 1.90%-6.91%respectively,compared to the blank group.PE-MPs receiving more light radiation became more hydrophobic.This inhibited PE-MPs entering the plant body along with the process of plant absorbing water.Furthermore,when PE-MPs were located in the lower soil layers,Brassica rapa reaching them needs a longer time,hence showing lower toxicity effect than the case of PE-MPs located in the upper soil layer.The research outcomes also indicated that malondialdehyde(MDA)contents in photodegraded PE-MPs exposure group increased by 1.37%-7.28%while the catalase activity(CAT)increased by 60.11%.This means that PE-MPs caused oxidative stress response in plants,inducing plants to resist external stress.Transcriptomic analysis results showed that Brassica rapa,which was affected by PE-MPs,significantly up-regulated genes related to the plant-pathogen interaction pathway while the ribosome pathway genes were significantly downregulated.This led to a decrease in growth rate and a decrease in the homeostatic level of the ribosomal subunit and hence resulting in abnormal leaf vein development.These conclusions indicated the toxic effect and damage mechanism of photodegraded PE-MPs on Brassica rapa.The novelty of this study was to use both univariate analysis and transcriptomic analysis to investigate how photodegraded PE-MPs exert toxicity on Brassica rapa.The results can provide a theoretical basis for revealing the influence of MPs on plant growth.

EFFECT OF PAN-MILLING STRESS ON CRYSTAL STRUCTURES OF HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

A detailed study was performed on the crystal structures of pan-milled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction. The crystallinity of HDPE first decreased slightly, followed by a gradual increase with increasing milling times. Monoclinic crystals appeared after 4 cycles of milling. With increasing times of milling, the proportion of monoclinic crystals increased significantly while the proportion of orthorhombic crystals decreased gradually. With increasing times of milling, the crystallite size of orthorhombic form decreased greatly, while the size of monoclinic crystallites kept almost constant during milling.

Effect of substrates on crystallization of high density polyethylene

The experimental observations about remarkable influence of the substrates on the isothermal crystallization rate of a high density polyethylene(HDPE) were presented.Two methods were used to characterize the crystallization rate:the change of turbidity of the HDPE specimen and the changes of the complex viscosity and storage modulus measured by a rotational rheometer,which gave consistent results showing that the isothermal crystallization rate decreased in sequence as the specimen contacted with aluminum,brass and stainless steel plates,respectively.As to the dominant influence factor,the chemical composition of the substrates can be excluded via insulating the plate by an aluminum foil.Instead,we propose the plate's ability of removing the latent heat of crystallization from the specimen.Rheological measurement is sensitive to the crystallization process.The colloid like model proposed by BOUTAHAR et al for the crystallization of HDPE gives reasonable predictions of the crystallized fraction from the measured storage modulus.

Selection of Thickness of High Density Polyethylene Film for Mulching in Paddy Rice

In water deficit area, judicious use of water is essential for increasing area under crop production with limited water supply. Film Mulching has been advocated as an effective means for conserving soil moisture in rice production. The effects of high density polyethylene (HDPE) film on increasing rice production, controlling weeds and residue amount of plastic were studied under five treatments, including 5, 10, 15 and 20 μm thickness as well as bare cultivation (CK). The results indicated that the HDPE film mulching mode had significant effects on weed control, soil temperature, soil moisture, photosynthetic rate, seedling biomass, yield and residues of plastic film. Combined with economic effect, it showed that the HDPE film of 10 μm is the best option for rice production.

Physical and Thermo-Oxidative Characterization of Asphalt Modified with High Density Polyethylene and Recycled Engine Oil

Modification of asphalt using polymers, oils and other additives has been an option to improve asphalt pavement performance and extend its lifespan. The present work aims to evaluate the influence of the addition of engine oil on the consistency and thermal properties of HDPE-modified asphalt. For this study, compositions containing asphalt, engine oil and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were prepared, varying the concentration of engine oil by 2.5 wt%, 5 wt%, 7.5 wt% and 10 wt% and keeping the concentration of HDPE at 5 wt%. The samples were characterized by conventional tests of penetration, softening point and viscosity, aging in a Rotational Thin Film Oven (RTFO), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). According to the results, the addition of HDPE to virgin asphalt causes an increase in the consistency of the virgin asphalt, which then decreases linearly as the engine oil is added into the matrix. Conventional tests showed improvements in the applicability of the asphalt in terms of resistance to cracks and permanent deformation. TGA showed a slight increase in stability for the modified asphalt samples at elevated temperatures. The RTFO showed mass gain and loss for samples with and without engine oil, respectively.

聚乙烯对小白菜生长的潜在影响:内生效应

以小白菜作为研究对象,通过盆栽实验,分析了不同粒径和不同添加水平的聚乙烯微塑料(PE-MPs)对小白菜生长及其生理生化特性的潜在影响.研究结果表明,PE添加显著降低了小白菜的株高和株重(P<0.05),在PE粒径为0.5μm,投加量为0.5%(w/w)的处理下,分别下降了86.8%和60.3%.并且,PE添加导致小白菜叶片中光合色素的含量显著降低(P<0.05).二元方差分析结果表明,PE粒径变化对小白菜生长和光合色素含量变化的影响更大.PE添加显著降低了内生细菌群落的Shannon指数和ACE指数(P<0.05),显著提高了内生细菌群落的Simpson指数(P<0.05).在各水平PE的添加下,小白菜根系内生细菌变形菌门和内生真菌子囊菌门的相对丰度升高,而内生细菌放线菌门的相对丰度降低.SEM观测结果表明PE-MPs颗粒主要出现在小白菜的木质部和根皮层组织的细胞壁上.二元方差分析结果表明,PE粒径变化对小白菜根系和地上部分的氧化应激指标的影响更大.PE的富集对小白菜造成了严重的结构、功能损伤和膜脂过氧化损伤,最终导致小白菜的生物量下降.

不同形态聚乙烯微塑料对Fe^(3+)的吸附性能

为探究聚乙烯(PE)微塑料的不同形态对Fe^(3+)吸附性能的影响,分析两者之间的相互作用。选用低密度聚乙烯(LDPE)和线型低密度聚乙烯(LLDPE)作为不同形态PE的代表,利用SEM、FTIR、吸附比表面测试法及Zeta电位表征其结构形貌,并通过静态吸附实验探讨不同形态PE对Fe^(3+)的吸附效果影响。结果表明LDPE相较于LLDPE具有更优的颗粒分散性、比表面积和表面负电性,其对Fe^(3+)的最大吸附量达到5.01 mg·L^(-1),PE对Fe^(3+)的吸附量随着微塑料投加量的增加先增大后减小,升温有利于吸附反应的进行。LDPE和LLDPE对Fe^(3+)的吸附均符合准一级动力学和朗缪尔模型,这表明吸附过程以单层物理吸附为主;颗粒内扩散模型表明吸附过程以表面吸附为主,且内扩散不是吸附速率控制的唯一步骤。此外,扩散力和静电力是LDPE和LLDPE吸附Fe^(3+)的主要作用机制,并且不受其线型结构的影响。

聚碳酸酯、聚乙烯微塑料对小鼠小肠结构与屏障基因的影响

目的探究食源性微塑料聚碳酸酯(polycarbonate,PC)、聚乙烯(polythylene,PE)对小鼠小肠结构、肠道屏障基因表达的影响。方法4周龄的小鼠分为正常饮食组(对照组),高浓度PE(30 g/kg鼠粮)添加组(HPE组),高浓度PC(30 g/kg鼠粮)添加组(HPC组),低浓度PE(3 g/kg鼠粮)添加组(LPE组),低浓度PC(3 g/kg鼠粮)添加组(LPC组),饲喂4周。剖检,采集小鼠十二指肠、空肠、回肠制作石蜡切片,观察微塑料对小肠显微结构的影响。定量聚合酶链反应法测定小鼠各肠段屏障基因相对表达量。结果相比于对照组,实验组的小鼠普遍绒毛高度降低、表面积减小,隐窝深度增加,绒毛高度与隐窝深度的比值变小,结果呈剂量依赖的关系。与PC组相比,PE组对小肠的显微结构影响更显著。PC、PE会使小鼠十二指肠、回肠屏障基因Claudin-1、Claudin-2、Claudin-7的表达量大部分下调,而小鼠空肠屏障基因Claudin-1、Claudin-2、Claudin-7、Claudin-15、Zone occludens 1(ZO-1)的表达量大部分上调。PC、PE微塑料使十二指肠、空肠、回肠屏障基因Occludin表达量大部分都上调。结论PC、PE损伤了小鼠小肠显微结构,改变了肠道屏障基因的表达,调节肠道屏障功能。

纳米聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯对水稻幼苗光合作用系统和金属组稳态平衡的影响

纳米塑料(NPs)是全球关注的新兴污染物,然而有关它们对陆生植物毒性的知识仍然有限。比较了不同浓度的纳米聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯(nPET)对水稻幼苗的影响。与对照组相比,低浓度(10 mg/L)的nPET明显抑制幼苗的生长,叶绿素含量明显下降,水稻根中的MDA含量和SOD活性都明显增加,GPx活性变化主要反映在水稻茎部和叶片,表明nPET会干扰水稻光合作用系统,并引发氧化应激。此外,nPET还改变水稻幼苗中钙(Ca)、锰(Mn)、铁(Fe)、镍(Ni)和锌(Zn)的含量,表明暴露于nPET会影响植物体内的金属组稳态平衡。总之,nPET会影响水稻苗的光合作用,造成氧化损伤,并干扰体内金属组的稳态平衡,从而影响水稻的生长发育。

聚合硫酸铁对水中聚乙烯微塑料的混凝效果与机理研究

以聚合硫酸铁(Polyferric Sulfate,PFS)和聚乙烯(Polyethylene,PE)微塑料分别作为混凝剂和去除对象,通过改变混凝剂投加量、微塑料粒径、溶液pH值及共存污染物等系统地研究不同条件下PFS对PE微塑料的去除性能。采用X射线光电子能谱(X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy,XPS)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy,FT-IR)、扫描电子显微镜(Scanning Electron Microscope,SEM)和Zeta电位分析方法初步探讨混凝机理。结果显示:当PFS投加质量浓度为10~550 mg/L时,PE微塑料的去除率随着PFS投加质量浓度的增加而呈升高趋势;加入表面活性剂及碱性条件下,PFS具有更好的混凝沉降性能;在小于500μm的粒径中,PE微塑料粒径为50~150μm时的去除率最高;当混凝剂投加质量浓度为550 mg/L,pH值为8时,去除率可达到98.0%,且优于铝系和天然混凝剂。在六价铬-微塑料共存体系中,微塑料的去除效果未受到显著影响。同时,混凝剂对六价铬的最大去除率可达到15.9%。混凝机理分析表明,电荷中和和吸附架桥作用为PFS对PE微塑料的主要混凝机制。