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High-Efficiency Antimicrobial Air Filter Electrospun ZnO/Biochar/PAN Nanofiber
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Researchers developed an electrospun nanofiber air filter combining biochar and zinc oxide that achieved approximately 95% filtration efficiency for 0.1-micron particles, demonstrated antibacterial activity, and biodegraded within five months without releasing zinc ions. Designing filters that degrade without generating persistent microplastic debris addresses an overlooked source of indoor microplastic contamination from conventional synthetic filter materials.
An innovative approach utilizing electrospun polymer nanofibers enhanced with biochar derived from corncob waste and zinc oxide (ZnO) is proposed to address the need for highly efficient and antimicrobial air filters, particularly for air purification and industrial filtration applications. This study details the development of such a nanofiber-based filter, in which the incorporation of biochar enhances the mechanical integrity of the polymer nanofibers, improves water vapor permeability, and significantly boosts the filtration efficiency to approximately 95% for 0.1-µm particles, representing a substantial improvement over conventional synthetic filters (~ 70%). The addition of ZnO imparted effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, with safety confirmed by the absence of detectable zinc ion release over a 14-day period. In addition, the developed nanofibers were shown to be biodegradable within approximately 5 months, offering an environmentally responsible alternative that avoids microplastic pollution. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of this biochar/ZnO-enhanced electrospun nanofiber filter as a high-performance, safe, and sustainable solution for improving air quality in stationary air filtration and industrial air-cleaning systems.
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Researchers developed a biodegradable nanofibre hydrogel filter that removes particles as small as 10 nanometres — including nanoplastics — from water at roughly seven times the flow rate of commercial ultrafiltration membranes, offering a low-cost and eco-friendly option for portable water purification.
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Researchers evaluated electrospun nonwoven nano-membranes as a filtration technology for removing micro- and nanoplastics from drinking water, finding that electrospinning offers a promising approach to tackling plastic particle contamination at the point of water treatment.
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Researchers developed a biodegradable water filter from chitosan-functionalized coir fiber and pith that effectively removed microplastics alongside heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium) and organic carbon from water. This low-cost, natural-material filtration approach offers a promising point-of-use solution for microplastic removal from drinking water, particularly relevant for communities lacking advanced water treatment infrastructure.
The Efficacy of Polypropylene Glazed Felt as a Filtration Medium for Microplastics and Nanoplastics.
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Researchers evaluated polypropylene glazed felt as a low-cost filtration medium for removing microplastics and nanoplastics from water, examining how fiber structure and surface properties influence capture efficiency across a range of particle sizes.
Marine microplastics detection and filtration self-cleaning membrane processed by electrospinning
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Scientists have created a cheap, portable filter membrane that can both detect and remove tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from seawater, catching over 90% of them. This matters because microplastics from ocean pollution can work their way into seafood and drinking water, so having an affordable tool to monitor and filter them out is a meaningful step toward reducing our exposure to this pollution.
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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.