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Removal of polystyrene (PS) microplastics using a magnetic Fe₃O₄@MIL-101(Cr) composite
Original title: Removal of polystyrene (PS) microplastics using a magnetic Fe₃O₄@MIL-101(Cr) composite
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Scientists created a magnetic sponge-like material (made partly from recycled plastic bottles) that can soak up over 90% of polystyrene microplastics—the tiny plastic particles found in items like foam cups and takeout containers—from water in just a couple hours. Because the material is magnetic, it can be easily pulled back out with a magnet and reused, offering a promising, eco-friendly way to help clean microplastics out of water before they end up in what we drink or eat.
In this study, a Fe₃O₄@MIL-101(Cr) composite material was synthesized through a simple approach combining Fe₃O₄ and MIL-101(Cr), using waste PET as the raw material source. The obtained composite exhibited magnetic properties with a saturation magnetization of approximately 18 emu g⁻¹, compared with 50 emu g⁻¹ for pure Fe₃O₄. The synthesized materials were then employed as adsorbents for the removal of polystyrene (PS) microplastics from aqueous environments. The experimental results showed that under optimal conditions (pH = 8.15, room temperature, and an adsorbent dosage of Fe₃O₄@MIL-101(Cr) of 1.25 g L⁻¹), the removal efficiency of PS reached approximately 91.4 ± 3.74% after 150 min of interaction. Furthermore, the Fe₃O₄@MIL-101(Cr) composite could be easily recovered using an external magnetic field, demonstrating its potential as an environmentally friendly and recyclable adsorbent for the treatment of microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.
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