About NSF REU Site at USA

Main units for making the microplastic chaser.

Filtered wastewater samples.

Apply the developed microplastics chaser at the wastewater treatment facilities.

Slowly rinse the filters removed from the sampler with deionized water.

Oxidization Reaction (30% H₂O₂  + Ferrous Sulphate Heptahydrate) and water heating in 60℃ will react with the organics and leave the polymer. Repeat this process 3-5 times.

Adding sodium chloride to water makes it less dense and separates the remaining impurities, such as sand and microplastics

Particles of collected microplastics (which may still contain other impurities) were placed into the FTIR. FTIR analyzes microplastics by detecting the unique infrared absorption patterns of their molecular bonds

When infrared light passes through a sample, specific wavelengths are absorbed based on the chemical structure of the polymer. 

FTIR produces a spectrum that helps identify the type of plastic (e.g., PE, PP, PS) based on characteristic absorption peaks. 

Adding different types of adsorbents to microplastic suspensions

The suspension was sampled every 6-hour interval during mixing and stored at low temperature.

Determine the concentration of microplastics based on the intensity in the fluorescence spectrum to determine the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent.

Plastics particles mixed with asphalt binders. 

Pervious concrete for better stormwater management.

To characterize various performances of asphalt binders modified by microplastics.