Microplastics are a rising environmental concern, but Korean researchers have devised a novel water filtration system that filters out these microscopic bits, as well as other contaminants, rapidly and efficiently.
Magnetic ‘nanopillars,’ nanocellulose, semiconductor wires, and filtration columns comprising sand, gravel, and biofilms are among the materials that were previously being explored to assist filter out microplastics.
Recently, South Korean researchers at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) have seen potential in a novel design.
A covalent triazene framework (CTF) is the main ingredient. Because this is a very porous substance with a big surface area, there is plenty of space within for the molecules they collect. Recently, similar compounds were shown to be successful at extracting organic dyes from industrial effluent.
The researchers purposefully engineered the molecules in the CTF to be more water-attracting, and then mildly oxidized the material. The resultant filter was proven to be successful in rapidly removing microplastics from water, with over 99.9% of pollutants removed in less than 10 seconds. The material may also be reused several times without losing its effectiveness.
In another experiment, the researchers created a polymer that can absorb light, transform the energy into heat, and then utilize that heat to cleanse another pollutant called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Under the force of the sun’s irradiation, this was able to eliminate over 98% of VOCs. A prototype that included both types of membranes removed over 99.9 percent of both kinds of contaminants.
The lead researcher, Prof. Park Chi-Young, expressed that the revolutionary new technology is unique in terms of filtration efficiency, eliminating over 99.9 percent of phenolic microplastics and VOC pollutants in water at ultra-high speeds, expressing hope that it would become a universal technology with great economic efficiency, capable of purifying dirty water and supplying drinking water even in locations without power.
An artist’s rendering of the prototype water filtering system is shown below:
