We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Engineered Fe-MOG on P-doped Carbon Enables Robust Removal of Microplastics across Water Matrices
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers synthesized a magnetic iron-metal-organic gel composite anchored on phosphorus-doped carbon derived from Chlorella biomass, achieving 96% removal of polystyrene microplastics from tap water, seawater, and mining water via hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, and Fe-O complexation.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a serious environmental challenge, considered a contaminant of emerging concern (CEC), require further improvements in existing technologies, creating an urgent demand for efficient and sustainable removal alternatives. In the present work, a novel magnetic composite material anchored on phosphorus-doped carbon (Fe-MOG/PC) was developed using solvothermal decomposition (Fe3O4) and co-precipitation methods for advanced capture of polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs) from various aqueous matrices. Characterization techniques, including XRD, XPS, SEM, and FTIR, confirmed the successful synthesis of the material, revealed the presence of key functional groups and demonstrated the crucial role of Fe2+ /Fe3+ redox pairs in the adsorption process. Batch experiments exhibited that under optimized conditions (adsorbent dose: 50 mg; pH: 7; time: 150 min), the Fe-MOG/PC achieved a high PS removal rate of 96%. The Freundlich isotherm best describes the equilibrium data, indicating that there is multilayer adsorption on the heterogeneous surface, with an adsorption capacity of 105.87 mg/g. The removal mechanism is attributed to the synergistic effects of hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions, and complexation with Fe-O. Importantly, Fe-MOG/PC exhibited excellent performance at different pH ranges, in the presence of common ions, and even in real water (tap water, seawater, and mining water). Overall, this work demonstrates that Fe-MOG/PC is an efficient, sustainable, and operationally flexible adsorbent capable of addressing MPs pollution in various challenging aquatic environments. The finding offers a promising approach for scalable MPs remediation and drives the development of next-generation functional materials for the removal of emerging pollutants. This visual summary serves as the key entry point for the study, providing a concise overview of the study’s core findings and methodology. The graphical abstract illustrates the conversion of Chlorella biomass into phosphorous-doped carbon (PC), followed by the addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and H3BTC as a linker to form a magnetic Fe-MOG/PC composite material. The graphic further illustrates the application of Fe-MOG/PC deployment for adsorbing PS MPs in challenging aqueous matrices, demonstrating its practical relevance. The high-performance section quantitatively validates the composite’s superiority through a comparative bar graph, revealing an excellent removal efficiency across all tested environments, a significant enhancement over pristine PC and Fe-MOG, and is supported by the synergistic mechanism of hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions, and Fe-O complexation. In conclusion, the Fe-MOG/PC composite material demonstrated excellent microplastic removal performance, validating its efficiency, sustainability, and flexibility across diverse environments. These findings have established a promising and scalable strategy for MPs remediation and paved the way for the development of next-generation, biomass-derived functional materials to combat emerging pollutants. The Chlorella biomass converted into functionalized P-doped carbon. Magnetic Fe-MOG anchored on the P-doped carbon for MPs remediation. Fe-MOG/PC exhibited excellent performance for PS MPs removal. MPs’ removal efficiency was evaluated in different water matrices.
More Papers Like This
Efficient microplastic removal in aquatic environments using iron–nitrogen co-doped layered biocarbon materials
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists have created a new sponge-like material made from sugar, iron, and nitrogen that can pull tiny plastic particles (microplastics) out of water with over 96% efficiency. This matters because microplastics are increasingly found in our drinking water and have been linked to potential health risks, and this reusable material works well even in salty water or water with different acidity levels, making it a practical option for real-world water treatment.
Nanoparticle in Removal of Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny particles made of nickel can soak up microplastics from water, removing up to 83% of them in lab tests. This matters because microplastics are showing up in our drinking water, food, and even our bodies, and this cheap, eco-friendly method could one day help water treatment plants filter them out before they reach our taps. That said, this is early-stage lab research, so more testing is needed before it becomes a real-world solution.
Application of Clay Composites for Microplastics Removal from Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how clay-based composites and nanocomposites can effectively capture and remove microplastics from water and soil environments. These low-cost, naturally abundant materials show promise as practical tools for filtering microplastic contamination at scale, though further optimization is needed for widespread application.
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.