We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Inherently Micro/Nano‐Patterned and Hydrophobic‐Hydrophilic Inlay Natural Material Assembly for Efficient Nanoplastics Removal
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed an eco-friendly sponge made from natural pollen and chitin that can efficiently remove nanoplastics from contaminated water. The material achieved an adsorption capacity of over 236 milligrams per gram by combining hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties to attract and trap tiny plastic particles. The study demonstrates that nature-inspired materials could offer a sustainable and effective approach to cleaning nanoplastic pollution from wastewater.
Abstract The biological and environmental hazards of nanoplastics are increasingly recognized, driving the need for effective and sustainable removal methods. Hydrophobic adsorbent materials with high surface areas are promising for capturing hydrophobic nanoplastics, yet achieving these properties in an eco‐friendly, energy‐efficient manner remains challenging. In this study, we turned to nature and proposed a synergistic hydrophilic‐hydrophobic inlay strategy that employs hydrophilic bio‐macromolecule β‐chitin to assemble bio‐microparticle pollen featuring inherent hydrophobicity and micro/nano‐patterns. The resulting pollen‐chitin sponge possesses a porous, hydrophobic architecture enriched with unique components such as aromatic rings and acetylamino groups. This assembly promotes strong interpenetration and interconnection between hydrophobic particles and hydrophilic lamellae, enhancing the interaction among hydrophobic pollen particles, water, and nanoplastics. The optimized arrangement of adsorption sites enables high‐efficiency nanoplastics removal, achieving an adsorption capacity of up to 236.30 mg g −1 . The removal process is primarily driven by hydrogen bond interaction, hydrophobic interaction, physical interception, and π – π interaction. As a result, it successfully purified wastewater contaminated with multi‐plastic particles and showed advantageous potential for removing various hydrophobic pollutants. Furthermore, sustainable recycling performance is demonstrated. The natural co‐assembly system represents a practical, sustainable combination of multi‐scale and multi‐component biomass materials for mitigating hydrophobic pollution.
More Papers Like This
Biodegradable and re-usable sponge materials made from chitin for efficient removal of microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed biodegradable sponges made from chitin, a natural material, that can effectively remove tiny microplastic particles smaller than 3 micrometers from water. The sponges achieved removal rates of up to 92% and could be reused for multiple cycles while remaining safe for aquatic organisms. This green approach offers a promising, environmentally friendly method for cleaning microplastics from water systems.
Biodegradable sponges made from chitin-cellulose nanofibers for sustainable removal of microplastics from aquatic environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a biodegradable sponge made from chitin and cellulose nanofibers that can remove up to 93% of microplastics from water. The sponge maintained strong performance after four reuse cycles and naturally biodegraded in soil environments. The study presents a sustainable, eco-friendly approach to cleaning microplastic contamination from aquatic ecosystems without introducing additional persistent pollutants.
Highly Efficient, Recyclable Microplastic Adsorption Enabled by Chitin Hydrogen Bond Network Rearrangement
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists developed a foam made from chitin, a natural material found in seafood shells, that can absorb over 400 milligrams of nano-sized microplastics per gram of material, even in saltwater. This recyclable, sustainable approach could help clean microplastics from ocean water, and the recovered plastic can be converted into useful products.
Nature-derived hydrogel for microplastic removal
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
High-Efficiency Adsorption of PS, PE, and PP Microplastics from Environmental Waters Using a Cross-Linked Chitosan/Graphitic Carbon Nitride/ZIF-67 Nanocomposite
AI summary Read the abstract
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.