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Quaternized chitosan modified Enteromorpha prolifera cellulose as a sustainable biosorbent for highly efficient removal of microplastics
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Scientists created a sponge-like material from seaweed (a type of algae) and a natural compound, designed to soak up microplastics from water—removing over 93% in tests. Since microplastics are turning up in our drinking water, food, and even our bodies, this cheap, eco-friendly filter could offer a practical way to clean up water supplies without creating new pollution in the process.
Microplastics (MPs), as emerging global contaminants widely present in the environment, pose potential ecological and biological hazards. Current MPs removal methods are energy-intensive and cause secondary pollution, necessitating the development of efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives. Here, Enteromorpha prolifera (EP), widely distributed in the ocean, was subjected to decolorization and alkaline treatment to obtain EP cellulose (EPC) being as a framework. Subsequently, quaternized chitosan (HACC) was cross-linked onto EPC using citric acid to yield surface charge-inverted modified EPC (M-EPC), which is the first time that EPC has been modified in this way. Surprisingly, the M-EPC exhibits exceptional adsorption capacity (1135.18 mg g) and removal efficiency (93.6%) for MPs, attributed to the synergistic removal mechanisms involving physical interception, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding. Remarkably, M-EPC maintained significant adsorption performance under most test conditions, including varying pH levels, different types of MPs, and various salt species and concentrations. The M-EPC also shows excellent reusability and the ability to purify real water samples, while demonstrating outstanding performance in biocompatibility and degradability. Additionally, we propose a promising strategy to convert M-EPC after MPs adsorption into value-added products. This work presents an effective solution for simultaneously addressing EP pollution and MPs contamination.
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Eco-friendly hydrophobic ZIF-8/sodium alginate monolithic adsorbent: An efficient trap for microplastics in the aqueous environment
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Scientists created an eco-friendly sponge-like material made from a metal-organic framework (ZIF-8) and seaweed-based sodium alginate that can trap microplastics from water. The material removed up to 594 milligrams of microplastics per gram of adsorbent and worked well even in real-world water samples like tap water, river water, and seawater. This type of practical, reusable filter material could help reduce the amount of microplastics reaching drinking water supplies.
Ultralight sponge made from sodium alginate with processability and stability for efficient removal of microplastics
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Researchers developed an ultralight sponge made from sodium alginate, a natural seaweed-derived material, that can efficiently capture and remove microplastics from water. The sponge demonstrated high water absorption and strong microplastic removal capabilities while remaining stable and reusable. The study suggests this low-cost, biodegradable material could be a practical solution for filtering microplastic pollution from marine environments.
Nature-derived hydrogel for microplastic removal
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Scientists developed a nature-based hydrogel made from chitin and lignin that can remove nanoplastics from wastewater with very high efficiency, absorbing up to 1,791 milligrams of plastic per gram of material. This sustainable, reusable filter could help reduce the amount of tiny plastic particles that reach drinking water and ultimately the human body.
Wood-Mimetic hierarchical porous sponges from Chitosan and tannin for efficient microplastic remediation and Closed-loop upcycling
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Scientists created a natural sponge made from chitosan (a substance from shellfish) and tannins (plant compounds) that can remove over 96% of tiny plastic particles from water in just 6 hours. The sponge mimics the structure of wood and can trap different types of microplastics, which are harmful particles that contaminate our drinking water and food supply. After the sponge is used up, it can be recycled into a device that purifies water using solar energy, making this a sustainable solution for cleaning up plastic pollution.
High-Efficiency Adsorption of PS, PE, and PP Microplastics from Environmental Waters Using a Cross-Linked Chitosan/Graphitic Carbon Nitride/ZIF-67 Nanocomposite
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Scientists created a new sponge-like material that can pull tiny plastic particles (microplastics) out of wastewater with over 90% success, working in under 30 minutes and reusable for at least five cleaning cycles. This matters because microplastics from everyday sources like packaging and synthetic fabrics often slip through standard water treatment and end up in the water supply, so better filtering technology like this could help reduce our exposure to these particles before they reach drinking water or the environment.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.