Researchers from Pakistan and Australia have developed a material that can remove microplastics and other contaminants from wastewater at a significantly faster rate than existing methods.
Their research was published in the Chemical Engineering Journal.
The material is made up of microscopic, ferromagnetic “nanopillars” that are composed of two sheets of metal-organic framework (MOF) with an array of carbon-encapsulated iron oxide nanopillars sandwiched between them.Â
The design creates a large amount of surface area with countless traps that can cling to even the smallest particles in water. When the material is placed in wastewater, it captures microplastics and other pollutants which can then be removed from the water using a magnet.Â
The researchers claim that the material is cheap, sustainable, and can remove microplastics from water in just one hour, as opposed to the days it takes using current methods. The material is also able to capture microplastics 1,000 times smaller than those detectable by most advanced treatment plants.
Additionally, the material does not produce any additional pollutants during the whole process.
The most astounding aspect of the idea, according to the study’s first author, Muhammad Haris, is that its raw material is actually bio-waste. He explains that they have sought a patent and will shortly commercialize the procedure.
