Solution for Plastic Pollution: Upcycling Waste Polypropylene Masks for Effective Oil-Spill Management

The use of polypropylene (PP) in disposable items such as face masks, gloves, and personal protective equipment increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment. Upcycling waste PP offers an alternative to thermal and mechanical recycling by transforming waste PP into useful products. Here, an oil-sorbent pouch was synthesized from waste PP, comprising superposed microporous and fibrous thin films prepared by spin coating. The pouch exhibited super-fast uptake kinetics, reaching saturation in under five minutes with a high oil uptake of 85 g/g. It showed high reusability and effectively absorbed oil up to seven times with mechanical squeezing between cycles, demonstrating robust oil-sorption capabilities. This approach provides a potential solution for managing plastic waste while promoting a circular economy.

Junaid Saleem, Zubair Khalid Baig Moghal, Rana Abdul Shakoor, Gordon Mckay