"The Feasibility of Sandstone as a Filter for Microplastics"

A Research Paper presented to the

Faculty of the Senior High School Department of

Ormoc City Senior High School

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in

Practical Research 2

Sanchez, Janfranz

Rabago, Heideli

Salvame, Zyrha Gwyneth

Salili, Althea

Roble, Izzy Mae

Putong, Cipriano

Simagala, Clarinda Yancy

Saba, Shantal Abigail Grace

Roble, Lovely

Sabang, Jenica Bea

Rojas, John Francis

November 2023
 Chapter I: Introduction

Background of the Study

In our modern day and age, the prevalence of plastic can not be denied. In spite of

this, efforts of proper disposal prove to be lackluster. These plastics break down with the

assistance of factors such as UV light and high temperatures (Gola, et al., 2021). These

broken down pieces of plastic around 500 µm–5 mm in length are called microplastics and

may cause a variety of issues (Hidalgo-Ruz, et al., 2012). One of which is its build-up in

marine ecosystems, particularly in urban areas, and subsequently in the marine organisms

that inhabit them (Gola, et al., 2021). Microplastics around 25 µm in size have a chance to

accumulate in the tissues of some of the foods that we eat which results in us humans

ingesting around 39,000 to 52,000 particles per year (Raamsdonk, et al., 2020). These

microplastics can not only cause particle toxicity and a wide host of other health

complications, the potential pathogens and pollutants can pose serious risks as well (Prata,

et al., 2020; Raamsdonk, et al., 2020).

Sandstones are sedementary rocks are composed of sand-sized minirals and rock

grains. This gives them the unique property of being a pemeable rock. The property of the

rock that allows it to be permeable is it's pores. These sizes of these pores also vary but are

typically influenced by the type of sandstone which are coarse, medium, and fine (Li et al.,

2017). The average pore size on coarse sandstone is 46.3 µm, medium sandstone has 25.9

µm, and fine sandtone has 8.4 µm (Li et al., 2017).

Filters are, according to Merriam-Webster (2023), substances used to seperate

materials in suspension from a fluid. The filter's job is to seperate as much matter from a
fluid as possible. Under perfect conditions, a filter should work by making the fluid go one

way and the materials seperated towards another (Svarovsky, 1977).

There already is a study showcasing the potential of sandstones as filters. A study by

Ghaly et al. (2007), landfill leechates containing iron and manganese are filtered through a

mixture of sandstone and limestone which resulted in 97.60% of iron, and between 22.22%

and 100% or manganese. This study proving the capability of sandstones in filtering helps

gives credibility to it's potential application in filtering microplastics.

A potential solution for this issue is to use sandstone to filter out microplastics. A

definition given by Oxford languages in 2023 for sandstone is a type of sedimentary consisting

of sand and quartz cemented together. These stones usually contain pores around the size of

46.3 µm in the more coarse variety (Li, et al., 2017). The pore size of these stones are

significantly smaller than the size of microplastics which may mean that sandstone would be a

great option when it comes to filtering microplastics. An issue however is its potentially low

porosity of 7.53% (Lai, et al., 2018; Li, et al., 2017). This is dwarfed by the chitosan nanofiber

sponges' 99.59% porosity also used in a similar study (Risch & Adlhart,
2021). However, the benefits may outweigh the cons as the difference in the pore size and

the size of microplastics is significant enough that the majority of microplastics may get

caught in the sandstone.

Statement of the Problem

The study mainly aims to assess the effectiveness of coarse sandstone as a filter for

microplastics, specifically the study aims to:

1. Test the percentage of microplastics that pass through the sandstones

2. The consistency of the sandstone in filtering microplastics.

3. How does the longevity and durability of sandstone filters compare to other filtration

materials in the context of microplastic removal?

Significance of the Study

To the consumers of meat:

The filtration of microplastics can decrease the risks and effects if consuming them

as less microplastic would accumulate in the water supplies and into various meat-based

food products.

To the environmentalists:
 The filtration of microplastics would decrease the accumulation in the environment,

specifically in marine environments which could potentially promote health in the marine

organisms.

To the household owners:

The filtration of microplastics could better ensure their safety from the hazards

brought by microplastics that could be present in their tap water.

To the fishery owners:

The filtration of microplastics from the water their fishes live in could improve the

health of their fishes which may result in more fish and thus, more profit.

To the residents of urban areas:

The filtration of microplastics would remove a big potential hazard from their homes

as microplastics are especially prevelent in their area.

To the water treatment plants

The filtration of microplastics from their reserves can provide an extra level of safety

to their consumers and may also spare them the trouble of filtering the microplastics out

inside their water treatment plants

Scope and Delimitations

The study will primarily focus on the feasibility of sandstone as a filter for
microplastics only and will be conducted in the time between Febuary 20-28, 2024 at Ormoc
City Senior High School. The sandstones used will only be of the coarse, medium and fine
varieties and the water to be tested will only be water samples taken from ormoc bay. A
possible issue that could be encountered in the data collection procedure is that the sensors
used may pick up on different particles that are not but of similar size to microplastics. The
study will neither be concerned with the sustainability and logistics in the collection of these
stones, nor the speed of which water could pass through these stones.
 Chapter II: Review of Related Literature

This chapter provides an overview of the concepts, the completed thesis, the

generalization or discoveries, the analysis, and others. The information provided in this

chapter helps readers get familiar with concepts that are relevant to and connected to the

current study.

The foregoing literature has shown microplastics to be a current emerging problem

as pollutants to the environment, and potential threat to the human and wild life (Kärrman

et al., 2016). Microplastics are pieces of plastic broken down by factors such as UV and

temperatures (Gola, et al., 2021). These mircoplastics measure up to 500 μm–5 mm

(Hidalgo-Ruz, et al., 2012). The microplastics build up on marine ecosystems and may harm

the marine creatures inhabiting those ecosystems (Gola, et al., 2021). Humans also ingest

39,000 to 52,000 particles of microplastics per year which could be a major health hazard

(Raamsdonk, et al., 2020). They are a product and a consequence that stems from one of

humanities most used material in the modern times. Given their sizes, the porosity of

coarse sandstone is a potential solution to filtering these microplastics.

A study has been conducted by optimizing the elutriation device developed by Claessens

et al. (2013) for the purpose of microplastic filtration. Filters are, according to merriam webster

as of 2023, are porous articles or mass (as of paper or sand) through which a gas or liquid is

passed to separate out matter in suspension. A filter's job, in a perfect environment, is to

separate a solid from a liquid in order to recover either, both or neither

(Svarovsky, 1977). It took advantage of the density differences between the two substances.

A 1mm sieve and 38 μm sieve was added to the device for the collection of the particles,

wherein it was then supplied with water flow and air stones for aeration. However, it turned

out to be not as robust with only 50.2% recovery of microplastics. Nevertheless, the usage

was convenient and can be easily assembled in comparison to other filtration methods (Zhu,

2015).

In a recent study, there has been traces of microplastics in pumice stone found along

the coasts of Thailand. Pumice is a type of extrusive volcanic rock known to have a sponge-

like appearance. Given that there are no volcanoes in the Gulf of Thailand, the pumice was

revealed to have come from the South China Sea according to the seasonal flow patterns.

Like sandstones, they are characterized as porous material. It has been said that the

microplastics were caught up in the pores of the stone as it was floating on the water

surface for a long period of time. The particles were observed to be less than 1 mm in size

(Pradit et al., 2022).

In another study in relation to microplastics was conducted, where they produced a

chitosan nanofiber sponge for filtration. Chitosan is a biocompatible and biodegradable

biopolymer with antimicrobial properties, hence used in fields such as biomedical

application. The production was processed through electrospinning yielding in this

nanofiber sponge with a 99.59% porosity. However, the production is stated to be

challenging given the scarce and limited approaches (Adlhart & Risch, 2021).
 Another way to test filter is to get post-filtration water and check the types of

materials deposited to determine whether the filter is effective or not (Crisan, et al., 2022).

However, this method is more concerned about what materials are left behind and

disregarding the state of the water before filtration. This is not appropriate to use in the

study as this study is more concerned about the performance of the filter rsther than the

drinkability of the post-filter water.

Hypothesis:
 Null: there is no significant difference between using different types of sandstones,

and no filters in average amount of microplastics filtered.

Alternative: there is a significant difference between using different types of

sandstones, and no filters in average amount of microplastics filtered.

Definition of Terms

Microplastics - are tiny plastic particles that is less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in

diameter—smaller in diameter than the standard pearl used in jewelry.

Sandstone - Sandstone, a sedimentary rock, is formed when grains of sand are compacted

and cemented together over thousands or millions of years. The sand grains often are

composed of the minerals quartz or feldspar that were worn off other rocks and ground

down into pebbles.

Method - a procedure or process for attaining an object.

Materials - is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can

be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of

their physical and chemical properties, or on their geological origin or biological function.

Filtration - the process of separating suspended solid matter from a liquid, by causing the

latter to pass through the pores of a membrane, called a filter.

Sensor - a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical

environment. The input can be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure or any number of

other environmental phenomena.

References

Entegris. (n.d.). Filters.

https://www.entegris.com/en/home/resources/technical-information/particle-characterizati

on-applications/filter-testing

Gola et al., (2021). The impact of microplastics on marine environment: A review.

Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 16, 100552.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215153221001276

Hidalgo-Ruz et al., (2012). Microplastics in the marine environment: a review of the

methods used for identification and quantification. Environmental science & technology,

46(6), 3060-3075.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es2031505
Lai et al., (2018). A review on pore structure characterization in tight sandstones.

Earth-Science Reviews, 177, 436-457.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825217305226?via%3Dihub

Li et al., (2017). Study on pore characteristics and microstructure of sandstones with

different grain sizes. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 136, 364-371.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926985116305353

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Filter definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filter

Prata et al., (2020). Environmental exposure to microplastics: An overview on possible

human health effects. Science of the total environment, 702, 134455.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969719344468

Risch, P., & Adlhart, C. (2021). A chitosan nanofiber sponge for oyster-inspired filtration of

microplastics. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 3(9), 4685-4694.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsapm.1c00799
van Raamsdonk et. al., (2020). Current insights into monitoring, bioaccumulation, and

potential health effects of microplastics present in the food chain. Foods, 9(1), 72.

https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/1/72

Wang et al., (2020). Filtration of microplastic spheres by biochar: removal efficiency and

immobilisation mechanisms. Water Research, 184, 116165.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135420307028

Zhu, X. (2015). Optimization of elutriation device for filtration of microplastic particles from

sediment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 92(1-2), 69-72.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X15000144

Ladislav Svarovsky. Solid-Liquid Separation. Butterworth Inc, 1977.

 Chapter III: Methodology

Research Design

A quasi-experimental research design is to be employed as this is the most approriate

design to gather data that is relevant to the study. Specifically, a time-series design will be

used as the experiment required testing both before and after treatment.

Research Sample

The ocean water will be sampled from Ormoc Bay. The sandstones will be

seperated into three categories of coarse, medium, and fine containing five samples per

type. The sandstones will also be cut into cylinders with a 90mm diameter and a height of

3 inches.

Sampling method

The study will use a stratified sampling method where pieces of sandstones will be

grouped into either coarse, medium or fine. Five pieces of sandstones would then be

selected from each goup which will be ised in the experiment.

Research Instrument

The data gathered will be recorded using a record sheet where the number of

particles that pass through the sensors at the beginning and end are written down for

comparisons.
Data Gathering Procedure
 The AccuSizer sensors will first be set to detect particles within the size range of

microplastics, around 5mm to500 μm. The pipes will also be placed on a 45° incline. 0.5

liters of the ocean water will then be passed down the 90mm pipe with AccuSizer sensors

on each end five times and will be labeled set A to E. The sensor will count the amount of

particles that passes through on the start and end of the pipe. 0.5 liters of ocean water will

be passed through the pipe again but this time, a coarse type sandstone cylinder will be

placed in the middle of the pipe to act as a filter. This will be done 5 times with different

pieces of coarse sandstone each time and will be labeled ser F through J. The next five sets

will have 0.5 liters of ocean water pass through the same pipe but with medium sandstones

and will be labeled set K to O. Finally, the last five sets, labeled P to T, will use the same set

up as before but the sandstones to be used will be of the fine variety. The 4 sets will be

observed for 5 days to check for a decline in performance. The researchers are expected to

record the amount of particles present at the start and end of each pipe every 12 hours to

gather the filtration ratio of each set. The means and variances of set A to E, set F to j, set

K to O, and set P to T will be compared to conclude whether sandstone would be an

effective filter for microplastics.

Data Analysis Procedure

An ANOVA statistical test will be used to compare whether or not there is a significant

difference between the means and variances of the samples that used no filters, and the

samples with the different types of sandstone filters. The collected data will be presented

with a line graph for ease in comparing the different means and variances during the different

time intervals.