Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastics with diameters between 1 and 5000 µm, are problematic pollutants in the environment, but their removal is challenging because of their minute size. One promising approach for their removal is flotation because MPs are inherently hydrophobic. However, the very small particle size of MPs lowers the probability of MPs-bubble collision and attachment that in turn affects the efficiency of the process. To address this challenge, we propose the use of agglomeration-flotation, a technique using kerosene as a bridging liquid to enlarge the particle sizes of MPs and make them amenable to flotation. In this study, the effects of kerosene dosage on particle size enlargement and floatability of six types of MPs with 100–1000 µm size fractions were investigated. The results showed that MPs with lower density compared with water could easily float in water without bubble attachment and particle agglomeration required. So, the effects of agglomeration on removal were negligible. In contrast, agglomeration using kerosene enhanced the floatability of MPs with high-density plastics. Moreover, image analysis was used to determine the agglomerated MPs’ particle size. The results indicate that kerosene could agglomerate the MPs and enhanced the removal of MPs by agglomeration-flotation.
Rare earth minerals (REMs) contain rare earth elements (REEs) that are important in modern technologies due to their unique magnetic, phosphorescent, and catalytic properties. However, REMs are not only non-renewable resources but also non-uniformly distributed on the Earth’s crust, so the processing of REE-bearing secondary resources via recycling is one potential route to ensure the long-term sustainability of REE supply. Flotation—a method that separates materials based on differences in their surface wettability—is a process applied for both mineral processing and recycling of REEs, especially when the particles are fine and/or a high-purity product is required. In this review, studies about rare earth flotation from 2012 to 2021 were systematically reviewed using the PRISMA guideline. It was found that most REM flotation research works focused on finding better collectors and depressants while, for recycling, studies on advanced flotation techniques like froth flotation, ion flotation, solvent sublation, electroflotation, and adsorbing colloid flotation with an emphasis on the recovery of dissolved REEs from aqueous solutions dominated.
The aim of this research was to investigate the physical properties of railway ballast rock for the rock deposits in Chana district, Songkhla province such as Nahwah deposit and Tarmorsai deposit. The experiments was devided into 6 parts such as mineralogy, abrasion by los angeles, aggregate impact value, size distribution, specific gravity and water absorption and shape index were compared with the standard properties of State Railways of Thailand (SRT). The result showed that thin section from mineralogy was granite and samples from three deposits were complied with SRT's standard. The abrasion value was less than 24%, bulk specific gravity and water absorption was higher than 2.6 and less than 3 percent, respectively. For size distribution, Tarmorsai 1 deposit and Tarmorsai 2 deposit were complied with SRT's standard except 1 sample from Nahwah deposit. The elongation index of samples from Nahwah deposit, Thamorsai 1 deposit and Tarmorsai 2 deposit were grouped into C, E and E type, respectively. The flakiness index of samples from Nahwah deposit, Thamorsai 2 and Tarmorsai 1 were grouped into A, A and C type, respectively.
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