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Wastewater Nitrification Performance of Novel Harakeke (Phormium tenax) Fibre-PLA Biocarriers
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Scientists created a new plastic-free material from New Zealand flax fibers to help clean ammonia out of wastewater more effectively than the plastic pieces currently used in treatment plants. This flax-based material worked better at removing harmful ammonia (74% vs. 65% for conventional plastic) and can be composted afterward instead of piling up as waste, offering a promising way to reduce microplastic pollution in our water systems while improving wastewater treatment.
This study investigates harakeke (New Zealand flax) fibre/PLA composites as biodegradable biocarriers to enhance nitrification in Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) wastewater treatment systems. Biocarriers containing 30% mass harakeke fibres were compared with conventional polyethylene (K3), neat PLA, and raw harakeke fibre rings. Harakeke/PLA biocarriers promoted faster biofilm establishment, accelerated nitrifier colonization, and achieved superior ammoniacal-N reduction. Specifically, harakeke/PLA carriers achieved a 74% median ammoniacal-N reduction, compared with neat PLA (68%), K3 (65%), and raw harakeke fibres (65%). The improved performance is attributed to higher carbon availability and increased surface roughness, supporting microbial growth. Raw harakeke fibre rings initially showed rapid biofilm formation and high nitrification rates but disintegrated after seven weeks, highlighting the need for structural reinforcement. Integrating harakeke with PLA provided both enhanced nitrification and structural stability. Harakeke/PLA biocarriers offer a sustainable alternative to conventional K3 carriers, reducing microplastic pollution and landfill waste. By accelerating biofilm development and reactor start-up, these biocarriers improve treatment performance, and spent carriers could be composted. These findings advance the development of environmentally responsible, cost-effective technologies for wastewater bioremediation.
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Researchers tested natural cattail plant fibers as a low-cost, biodegradable material for removing microplastics from wastewater. The hydrophobic fibers were effective at adsorbing microplastic particles, with removal efficiency influenced by water chemistry and contact time. The study suggests that plant-based bio-adsorbents could offer a sustainable and affordable alternative for filtering microplastics from water treatment systems.
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Scientists developed a plant-based additive made from jute (a natural fiber) that helps water treatment plants remove over 90% of tiny plastic particles from water—while using far fewer chemicals than current methods. This matters because microplastics are increasingly found in our drinking water and have been linked to potential health concerns, so a cheaper, greener way to filter them out could make water treatment safer and more sustainable for communities everywhere.
Super-bridging Fibrous Materials for Water Treatment: Impacts on Removal of Plastic Particles, Phosphorus and Natural Organic Matter
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Researchers developed fiber-based materials that act as super-bridging agents in water treatment, creating much larger flocs than conventional coagulants alone and improving the removal of plastic particles, phosphorus, and natural organic matter. The materials reduced coagulant and flocculant usage by up to 40-60%, lowering both costs and chemical footprint.
Turning waste PHA into denitrification media: performance driver and stratified biofilm ecology
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Scientists turned waste plastic (a biodegradable type called PHB) into a tool that cleans nitrogen pollution from wastewater, removing over 94% of it in tests. This "waste treats waste" approach could help solve two problems at once: plastic waste and water pollution, potentially reducing environmental contamination that affects drinking water and ecosystems humans depend on.
Design and Evaluation of a Biochar-Integrated Supramolecular Fibrous Framework for Efficient Microplastics Removal from Aqueous Environments
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Researchers combined waste derived biochar with chitin and cellulose fibers to make a filter material, then tested it in lab columns for removing microplastics from water. A filter made only of quartz removed about 42% of polyethylene microplastics, while the biochar fiber combination removed about 95%, with better results at taller filter beds and slower water flow.
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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.