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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.
Nanoplastics have raised significant concerns due to their intrinsic toxicity and synergistic interactions with co-occurring pollutants, posing substantial risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Herein, we developed a plant-fiber-based co-filtration system incorporating alum as a retention aid, enabling efficient removal of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS) from aqueous solutions via a simple process. This process achieved exceptional removal performance, with a PS removal efficiency of 98.32%. Materials characterization combined with Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations revealed that the efficient interaction between plant fibers and PS nanoplastics arises from the synergistic contribution of van der Waals forces and electrostatic interactions. Additionally, following thermal treatment, the filter-layer-derived paper demonstrated excellent hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 120° and a water permeability resistance of 1759.8 s, which was comparable to that of paper produced via conventional sizing process, and it maintains structural stability under wet-dry cycles and ultraviolet irradiation. Collectively, this work demonstrates that plant-fiber-based co-filtration system achieves highly efficient removal of PS nanoplastics from aqueous environments, while simultaneously imparts durable hydrophobicity to inherently hydrophilic paper substrates, thereby advancing a potentially scalable, green manufacturing strategy aligned with clean production principles.
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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.
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Scientists made eco-friendly filter paper from hemp and jute plant fibers that can trap over 90% of tiny plastic fibers shed by synthetic clothes during laundry, the same microplastics that end up in our water, food, and bodies. This matters because washing machines are a major source of microplastic pollution, and this plant-based filter offers a sustainable way to catch these particles before they escape into wastewater, rather than relying on plastic-based filtration materials that add to the problem.
High‐Throughput Removal of Micro(Nano)Plastics With 99.8% Rejection From Water Using Cationic Cellulose Filter‐Paper Consisting of Uniform Microfibers
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Scientists created a new filter paper, made from plant-based cellulose with a special positive electrical charge, that can trap 99.8% of micro- and nanoplastics from water, tiny plastic particles too small to see that have been found in our blood, organs, and even brains. Unlike regular filters, this one lets water flow through fast while still catching nearly all the plastic, and it can be cleaned and reused at least 10 times, offering a promising, eco-friendly way to reduce our plastic exposure from drinking water.
Biobased Composite Aerogels for Efficient Flow-Through Capture of Nanoplastics via Multimodal Interfacial Interactions
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Scientists created a new sponge-like filter made from natural materials that can remove nearly 100% of tiny plastic particles from water. These nanoplastics are so small they're invisible to the naked eye but pose potential health risks when they get into drinking water. The filter works efficiently with very little energy, offering a promising way to clean up water contaminated with plastic pollution.
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.
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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.