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Harnessing lignocellulose hydrogels for efficient and antifouling nanoplastic-capture membranes
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Scientists created a filter made from lignocellulose (a plant-based material found in wood and plant fibers) that can remove over 95% of tiny nanoplastic particles from water without clogging up like traditional filters do. This matters because nanoplastics are increasingly found in our drinking water and are too small for many current filtration systems to catch effectively, so a cheap, plant-based solution like this could help reduce our exposure to these pollutants. The used filters can even be recycled into other useful products, making this a more sustainable option overall.
Lignocellulose is indispensable to environmental self-remediation, and its inherent hierarchical heterogeneity can be harnessed to achieve superior immobilization of specific pollutants. Here, lignocellulose was facilely disintegrated into its component nanofibrils and transformed into structurally tunable hydrogels, which demonstrated high efficacy in capturing ubiquitous aquatic nanoplastics (NPs). We employed an integrated multiscale approach to reveal how the topological architecture and rheological behavior of lignocellulose hydrogels govern the transport dynamics of colloidal NPs. With this theoretical foundation, the lignocellulose hydrogel can be fabricated on demand for the highly efficient removal of broad-spectrum NPs (>95%) coupled with a high water flux exceeding 70 L/m²·h. Furthermore, functionalizing petroleum-based filter membranes with a reconfigurable lignocellulose hydrogel overcame the critical limitations of conventional ultrafiltration in capturing aquatic nanoparticles, namely low efficiency, membrane fouling, and secondary pollution. Additionally, we proposed a low-environmental-risk and cost-effective disposal strategy for spent NPs-laden lignocellulose hydrogels by integrating them into pulp fibers as a reinforcing and plasticizing agent to fabricate strong, water-resistant, and thermally stable molded products. In summary, our work presents a viable lignocellulose-based solution addressing key challenges in NPs ultrafiltration.
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Plant-Based Fiber Filter Layers Enabling Simultaneous Polystyrene Nanoplastics Removal and In Situ Hydrophobic Paper Fabrication
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Scientists created a simple filter made from plant fibers that removes over 98% of nanoplastics (tiny plastic particles too small to see) from water, which matters because these particles have been linked to health risks and are notoriously hard to filter out with conventional methods. As a bonus, the leftover filter material can be turned into water-resistant paper, meaning this could become an eco-friendly way to both clean up water and produce useful materials without waste.
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.
Multilayer Biobased Poly(ethylene furanoate)/Graphene Oxide Nanofibrous Membranes With Directional Water Transport for Efficient Microplastics Filtration
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Scientists created a plant-based filter membrane that removes 99.9% of microplastic particles from water while letting water flow through fast, much faster than similar filters. This matters because microplastics are increasingly found in our drinking water and bodies, and this new material could offer a more efficient, eco-friendly way to clean water supplies before harmful plastic particles reach our taps.
A wood-derived nanocellulose aerogel developed by optimized freeze-drying for adsorbing microplastics and dyes
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Scientists created a sponge-like material from wood that can soak up microplastics and toxic dyes from water, using a faster and more eco-friendly drying process than usual. This matters because microplastics are increasingly found in our water supplies and food, and having an affordable, reusable, plant-based filter could help remove these contaminants before they reach our taps — though this study was done in a lab, so real-world water treatment testing is still needed.
Capturing the colloidal microplastics with plant-based nanocellulose networks
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Researchers found that nanocellulose—a material derived from plants—can efficiently capture colloidal microplastics and even nanoplastics from water, including particles too small for conventional filters. Plant-based nanocellulose networks could offer a sustainable, biodegradable solution for removing the smallest and most challenging microplastic fractions from water.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.