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Delignified and surface-engineered wood for microplastic removal in water treatment
Summary
Scientists turned ordinary wood into a powerful, reusable filter for removing microplastics from water by stripping out its natural glue-like lignin and coating it with a special charged compound. In tests, this modified wood captured up to 99% of common plastic particles (like those from packaging and PVC pipes) and kept working well even after repeated use. Since microplastics are increasingly found in tap water and are linked to potential health risks, this cheap, plant-based filter could offer a practical way to make drinking water safer.
Microplastics (MPs) pose a growing environmental threat due to their persistence, ubiquity, and capacity to adsorb toxic co-contaminants. Conventional water treatment systems are often ineffective in removing these particles, highlighting the need for sustainable and efficient adsorbent materials. This study investigates delignified wood as a bio-based adsorbent for MP removal. Selective lignin extraction generated a highly porous cellulose scaffold while preserving the natural microchannel structure. To enhance adsorption performance, the cellulose was coated with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in a NaOH/urea solvent system and subsequently, strengthening electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with MPs. SEM imaging revealed a porous, intact morphology with accessible channels, while ATR-FTIR and XPS analysis confirmed lignin removal and CTAB incorporation. Zeta potential measurements indicated a charge shift from −14 mV to +22 mV, confirming successful cationization. The modified wood eventually, achieved removal efficiencies of 99% for polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that maintained more than 90% efficiency over multiple cycles, and 92% for poly(butylene adipate- co -terephthalate) (PBAT) that maintained above 80% efficiency over multiple cycles. Microscopy provided visual evidence of MP capture on the adsorbent surface. Overall, the results demonstrate that delignified and chemically modified wood represents a sustainable, scalable, and high-performance platform for microplastic filtration in water treatment applications.