New Breakthrough in Efforts to Eradicate Microplastics in Water Sources

A team of Chinese researchers from Wuhan University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology has developed a revolutionary new strategy to remove microplastics from water sources, achieving an impressive 99.8% removal rate in its first use.

According to a recent study published on Saturday in the journal Science Advances, a biodegradable foam made from chitin from squid bone and cellulose from cotton has been created, which exhibits exceptional ability to absorb microplastics found in electronics, food packaging, textiles, and other industrial products.

The sustainable fibrous foam boasts a porous structure that can effectively attract and interact with diverse types of microplastics commonly present in water sources. The researchers tested the material using real-world samples from four different water sources: irrigation water, lake water, seawater, and pond water.

In their evaluations, the foam was found to absorb nearly 100% of microplastics in its first cycles, while demonstrating removal rates exceeding 95% after five cycles. Moreover, the material's adsorptive capacity remains largely unaffected by inorganic particles, heavy metals, organic pollutants, and microorganisms present in water.

According to Wuhan University corresponding author Deng Hongbing, "The alarming volume of plastic waste in the environment will continue to increase for thousands of years, posing a significant threat to ecosystems. However, biomass materials could be an effective solution to tackle this problem."

Deng believes that the new technology could bring a cost-effective solution to tackle microplastic contamination in water sources and hopes to see its application in real-world water treatment or home water purifiers in the near future.

The team has already submitted a patent request for their innovative material, paving the way for further research and implementation of this groundbreaking technology.