Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Superhydrophobic and Sustainable Nanostructured Powdered Iron for the Efficient Separation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions and the Capture of Microplastics

This study developed and demonstrated a superhydrophobic powdered iron material that can efficiently separate oil from water and capture microplastic fibers through a single filtration process. This dual-function material could be a cost-effective and sustainable tool for removing two major ocean pollutants simultaneously.

2020 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of Classical and Emerging Contaminants in Water Treatment Using Super-Bridging Fiber-Based Materials

Researchers designed iron-grafted cellulose fibers and tested them for removing both classical contaminants and emerging pollutants including microplastics from wastewater, demonstrating high removal efficiency across a broad range of contaminant types in a single treatment step.

2023 ACS ES&T Water 20 citations
Article Tier 2

A Sustainable Method for Removal of the Full Range of Liquid and Solid Hydrocarbons from Water Including Up‐ and Recycling

Researchers developed iron oxide nanoparticles coated with alkyl phosphonic acid that can bind to a wide range of hydrocarbons — from dissolved oils to plastic particles — regardless of molecular weight or size, and can then be magnetically separated from water. The approach offers a promising tool for removing plastic pollution from wastewater, including microplastics that are too small for conventional filtration to capture.

2023 Advanced Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced removal of microplastics from wastewater hydrological pathways using a magnetically recoverable Fe 3 O 4 /carbon black nanocomposite

Scientists developed a new magnetic material that can remove nearly 99% of tiny plastic particles from wastewater before it gets released into rivers and oceans. The material works like a magnet to grab plastic pieces from dirty water, then can be pulled out and reused. This could help stop microplastics from building up in our water supply and food chain, where they may pose health risks to humans.

2026 Progress in Physical Geography Earth and Environment
Article Tier 2

Improved Cadmium Removal Induced by Interaction of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron and Microplastics Debris

Researchers investigated how PVC microplastics interact with nanoscale zero-valent iron used to remove cadmium from contaminated water. The presence of microplastics actually enhanced cadmium removal, likely due to adsorption on the plastic surface. These findings are relevant because PVC production uses cadmium compounds, meaning both pollutants may co-occur in real environments.

2023 Journal of Environmental Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fe-Modified Sewage Sludge Biochar for Efficient Removal of Nanoplastics from Water: Mechanistic Insights and Multi-Pathway Adsorption Analysis

Scientists developed a new water filter material made from sewage sludge and iron that can remove 96% of tiny plastic particles (called nanoplastics) from water. These microscopic plastic bits are found everywhere in our water supply and may pose health risks, but this new filter works much better than existing methods. This research could lead to better ways to clean nanoplastics from our drinking water while also recycling waste materials.

2026 Molecules
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics removal from aqueous solutions by magnetic iron nanoparticles

Researchers tested magnetic iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles for removing polystyrene microplastics from water, systematically optimizing concentration, dosage, contact time, and pH, and found effective microplastic removal through adsorption interactions that could be leveraged for environmental remediation.

2025
Article Tier 2

Clean water production from plastic and heavy metal contaminated waters using redox-sensitive iron nanoparticle-loaded biochar

Researchers developed a biochar material loaded with iron nanoparticles that can simultaneously remove nanoplastics and heavy metal ions from contaminated water. The material achieved over 90 percent removal across a range of water conditions and worked effectively in both batch and continuous-flow tests. The study presents a practical, low-cost approach for cleaning up water polluted with both plastic particles and toxic metals.

2023 Environmental Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics from water by magnetic nano-Fe3O4

Researchers developed a method for removing microplastics from water using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles that attach to plastic surfaces, allowing the particles to be pulled out with a magnet. The technique achieved removal rates above 80% for common microplastic types in environmental water samples including river water, sewage, and seawater, suggesting a practical approach for water treatment.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 276 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and other pollutants in the aquatic environment: study of interactions and new removal strategies

Researchers evaluated iron magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with varying surface modifications -- bare Fe3O4, TEOS-coated, and TEOS+MPS-coated -- for removing four types of microplastics (Nylon 6, PTFE at two sizes, and PMMA) from water, assessing how surface chemistry and synthesis time affect removal efficiency.

2025 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Article Tier 2

Removal and Degradation of Microplastics Using the Magnetic and Nanozyme Activities of Bare Iron Oxide Nanoaggregates

Researchers developed bare iron oxide nanoaggregates that both remove and catalytically degrade common microplastics with nearly 100% efficiency, achieving full extraction at just 1% of the microplastic mass through combined magnetic and nanozyme activities.

2022 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 134 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinctive adsorption and desorption behaviors of temporal and post-treatment heavy metals by iron nanoparticles in the presence of microplastics

Microplastics inhibited adsorption of most heavy metals by nano-zero-valent iron and facilitated their desorption during post-treatment, with the effect primarily affecting metals binding through surface complexation or electrostatic interaction rather than metals involved in redox reactions, providing insights for improved contaminated site remediation.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorptive removal of micron-sized polystyrene particles using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Researchers demonstrated that magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can effectively adsorb and remove micron-sized polystyrene microplastics from water, offering a magnetically recoverable approach to microplastic remediation.

2022 Chemosphere 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Effective removal of Micro- and nanoplastics from water using Iron oxide nanoparticles: Mechanisms and optimization

Researchers developed a magnetic separation method using iron oxide nanoparticles to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water, achieving up to 95% removal efficiency within just 20 minutes. The technique works through hydrophobic interactions between the iron oxide particles and plastic surfaces, and was particularly effective for smaller nanoplastics. The method offers a relatively simple, rapid, and cost-effective approach to filtering plastic particles from contaminated water.

2025 Chemical Engineering Journal 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics adsorption and removal by 2D ultrathin iron oxide nanodiscs: From micro to nano

Researchers developed ultra-thin magnetic iron oxide nanodiscs for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water. The study found that these nanodiscs achieved high adsorption capacity through electrostatic and magnetic forces, and maintained over 90% removal efficiency after five reuse cycles, offering a cost-effective approach for treating plastic-contaminated wastewater.

2024 Chemical Engineering Journal 14 citations
Article Tier 2

An iron “nano-fishnet” for the rapid removal and surface clean-up of micro/nanoplastics from seawater

Researchers developed a magnetic iron nano-fishnet made from alkylated nanoscale zerovalent iron grown on cellulose nanofibers that rapidly captures and removes micro- and nanoplastics from seawater, offering a promising remediation tool for marine plastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Science Nano 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental remediation approaches by nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) based on its reductivity: a review

This review covers how nanoscale zero-valent iron particles can be used to clean up contaminated wastewater through chemical reduction of pollutants like heavy metals and organic compounds. While not directly about microplastics, these remediation technologies are relevant because they represent advanced approaches to treating the kinds of contaminated water that often also contains microplastic pollution.

2024 RSC Advances 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Durable Superhydrophobic Coating for Efficient Microplastic Removal

Researchers developed a durable superhydrophobic (water-repelling) coating on aluminum that can efficiently capture and remove microplastic particles from water. The coating attracted microplastics at high removal rates and remained effective over multiple use cycles. This type of material could be incorporated into water treatment systems or filtration devices to reduce microplastic contamination in drinking water and wastewater.

2021 Coatings 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis, assessment, and application of two-dimensional ferromagnetic nanocomposites for the removal of microplastics from drinking water and wastewater effluent

Researchers synthesized ferromagnetic 2D nanocomposites and evaluated their effectiveness at removing microplastics from drinking water and wastewater effluent, finding they offer a promising technological innovation for addressing MP contamination in water treatment systems.

2025
Article Tier 2

Application of Surface-Modified Natural Magnetite as a Magnetic Carrier for Microplastic Removal from Water

Researchers modified natural magnetite — a common iron mineral — with a hydrophobic chemical coating so it would stick to plastic particles in water, then used magnets to pull everything out. When applied to six common plastic types including polyethylene and polystyrene, finely-ground treated magnetite removed over 90% of the microplastics. This low-cost, naturally-sourced approach could offer a scalable method for cleaning microplastics from water supplies.

2025 Minerals 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanonet trapping for effective removal of nanoplastics by iron coagulation

Scientists developed a new iron-based water treatment method that creates tiny net-like structures capable of trapping and removing nanoplastics that conventional water treatment cannot filter out. This approach works effectively in real-world water samples and could be adopted by existing water treatment plants, offering a practical way to reduce nanoplastic contamination in drinking water.

2025 Nature Communications 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation of magnetic Janus microparticles for the rapid removal of microplastics from water

Researchers developed a new type of magnetic particle that can quickly remove microplastics from water, achieving 92% removal of polystyrene and 61% removal of polyethylene in just 20 minutes. These magnetic Janus microparticles work by attracting plastic through multiple mechanisms and can be easily collected with a magnet for reuse. This technology could be a practical tool for cleaning microplastics from drinking water and wastewater, helping reduce human exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the effective adsorption of polystyrene microplastics from aqueous solution with magnetically separable nickel/reduced graphene oxide (Ni/rGO) nanocomposite

Researchers developed a magnetic nanocomposite material that can effectively remove polystyrene microplastics from water and be easily separated using a magnet for reuse. This technology could help reduce microplastic contamination in water supplies, potentially lowering human exposure to these tiny plastic particles through drinking water.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption and thermal degradation of microplastics from aqueous solutions by Mg/Zn modified magnetic biochars

Researchers developed magnesium- and zinc-modified magnetic biochars that achieved over 94% removal efficiency for polystyrene microplastics from water, with performance enhanced by the metal modifications. The modified biochars also showed effectiveness in thermally degrading the captured microplastics, offering a potential two-step approach for microplastic removal and destruction in water treatment.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 471 citations