Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Closing the loop on nanoplastic pollution: A 3D printed coral-like adsorbent enabling cyclic adsorption and ice-crystal catalytic degradation for waste minimization

Scientists created a 3D-printed coral-like filter that can remove tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) from water with 96% efficiency. The filter uses freezing conditions to actually break down the captured plastic particles, making it reusable for multiple cleaning cycles. This could help reduce nanoplastics in drinking water, which is important since these microscopic plastic pieces are found throughout our environment and may pose health risks to humans.

2026 Journal of Cleaner Production
Article Tier 2

Fabrication of dual-charged MOF-based ultrafiltration membrane to remove charged nanoplastics from wastewater

Researchers developed a new type of water filter membrane that can remove over 99% of nanoplastics from wastewater while maintaining high water flow. The membrane uses metal-organic framework nanoparticles that repel plastic particles through electrical charges and physical filtering. This technology could help prevent nanoplastics, which are too small for conventional filters, from reaching drinking water sources.

2025 Journal of Water Process Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Biobased Composite Aerogels for Efficient Flow-Through Capture of Nanoplastics via Multimodal Interfacial Interactions

Scientists created a new sponge-like filter made from natural materials that can remove nearly 100% of tiny plastic particles from water. These nanoplastics are so small they're invisible to the naked eye but pose potential health risks when they get into drinking water. The filter works efficiently with very little energy, offering a promising way to clean up water contaminated with plastic pollution.

2026 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Article Tier 2

Carbon nanoparticles fabricated microfilm: A potent filter for microplastics debased water

Researchers developed a carbon nanoparticle membrane combined with a PVDF polymer to filter microplastics from water. The nanofilm effectively removed microplastics, reduced microbial contamination, and improved water clarity. The study highlights nanofiltration as a promising low-cost approach for removing microplastics from water, with efficiencies reaching up to 95%.

2023 Environmental Pollution 17 citations
Article Tier 2

A Novel Application of Filtration for the Collection of Microplastics in Waterways

Researchers developed a novel filtration system for collecting microplastics from waterways, demonstrating its effectiveness as a scalable and practical tool for environmental monitoring and plastic pollution assessment.

2024 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Designing poly(vinylidene fluoride) membranes with narrow pore size distribution for microplastics removal from water

Scientists developed an improved method for making water filtration membranes with very uniform pore sizes, specifically designed to capture tiny microplastic particles. Using a common polymer (PVDF) and a straightforward manufacturing process, the membranes achieved over 97 percent removal of microplastic particles as small as 500 nanometers. The study suggests this approach could offer a practical and scalable solution for filtering microplastics from drinking water and wastewater.

2023 Journal of Applied Polymer Science 15 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

Development of a hybrid filter media for microplastic removal from wastewater

Researchers developed hybrid glass fiber filter media incorporating glass and electrospun polymer nanofibers—both blended into the matrix and applied as surface layers—to improve microplastic removal efficiency from wastewater compared to standard filtration media.

2025 Open Repository and Bibliography (University of Luxembourg)
Article Tier 2

Cellulose nanofibril-loaded filter paper for highly efficient removal of microplastics via multiscale capture mechanisms

Researchers fabricated a cellulose nanofibril-loaded filter paper composite and found it achieved over 93% removal efficiency for polystyrene, polypropylene, and PET microplastics through a combination of physical interception, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding.

2025 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
Article Tier 2

Molecular Mechanisms Governing the Adsorption, Deposition, and Removal of Environmentally Aged Microplastics by Engineered Surfaces

Scientists figured out how tiny plastic particles that have been weathered in the environment stick to different surfaces, then used this knowledge to create a new material that can remove over 92% of these microplastics from water. This breakthrough could lead to better filters and cleanup systems to remove microplastics from drinking water and the environment. Since microplastics are found everywhere from our food to our bloodstream, having effective ways to remove them could help protect human health.

2026 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Reduced graphene oxide membrane with small nanosheets for efficient and ultrafast removal of both microplastics and small molecules

Researchers created a membrane from small-sized reduced graphene oxide nanosheets that can efficiently filter both microplastics and small dissolved molecules from water. The membrane achieved ultrafast water flow rates while maintaining high rejection of contaminants of different sizes. The study demonstrates a promising filtration technology that could address the challenge of removing mixed-scale pollutants from wastewater.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A StraightforwardApproach for the Removal of Microplasticsfrom Water: Utilization of SLIPS

Researchers demonstrated for the first time that slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) can rapidly and efficiently remove polystyrene microplastics from water, with the slippery surface capturing particles through size-independent adhesion without requiring filters or chemical treatment.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics Removal from Water using Metal–Organic Framework: Investigation of Adsorption Mechanisms, Kinetics, and Effective Environmental Parameters

Researchers developed a metal-organic framework material that can remove 96% of nanoplastics from water through an adsorption process. The material works by attracting the negatively charged nanoplastic particles to its surface through electrostatic forces and can be regenerated for repeated use. This technology could provide a practical solution for removing the tiniest and most dangerous plastic particles from drinking water.

2023 ACS Applied Engineering Materials 79 citations
Article Tier 2

A Chitosan Nanofiber Sponge for Oyster-Inspired Filtration of Microplastics

An ultralight chitosan nanofiber sponge was developed as a filtration material for removing microplastics from water, inspired by oyster filtration biology, and demonstrated high removal efficiency for polystyrene microplastics in lab tests while being biodegradable and made from renewable chitosan feedstock.

2021 ACS Applied Polymer Materials 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in metal-organic frameworks for microplastic removal from aquatic environments: Mechanisms and performance insights

Researchers reviewed over 65 studies on using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) — highly porous, sponge-like materials — to remove microplastics from water, finding some MOFs achieved up to 98% removal efficiency and could be reused six times, making them a promising filtration technology for microplastic pollution.

2025 Results in Chemistry 22 citations
Article Tier 2

From pollution to solution: Optimized UiO-66 based metal-organic framework for environmental cleanup

Researchers converted recycled plastic bottles (PET) into a high-surface-area material called UiO-66, a metal-organic framework, and embedded it in filtration membranes that removed over 100% of microplastic particles from water. This sustainable approach turns plastic waste into a tool for cleaning up plastic pollution.

2025 Next Nanotechnology
Article Tier 2

Fish Gill-Inspired Bidirectional Porous Polysaccharide Aerogels for Micro/Nanoplastics Removal

Researchers developed a fish gill-inspired bidirectional porous aerogel made from chitosan and other polysaccharides for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water. The biomimetic structure allowed efficient capture of plastic particles across a wide size range while maintaining good water flow. The study presents a sustainable filtration approach using biodegradable materials that could address the challenge of removing tiny plastic particles from freshwater systems.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that form thermally responsive hydrogels capable of capturing nanoplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of 68–100% for polystyrene nanoparticles (20–1,000 nm), with a reversible gel-syneresis cycle enabling both passive filtration and particle recovery for trace analysis.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that form thermally responsive hydrogels capable of capturing nanoplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of 68–100% for polystyrene nanoparticles (20–1,000 nm), with a reversible gel-syneresis cycle enabling both passive filtration and particle recovery for trace analysis.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Mucin-Inspired Thermogels for Programmable Nanoplastic Removal in Water Purification

Researchers developed mucin-inspired amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers that self-assemble into micelles and undergo reversible temperature-triggered sol-gel-syneresis transitions to capture nanoplastics from water, achieving removal efficiencies of 68-100% for polystyrene nanoplastics (20-1000 nm) and recovery efficiencies up to 61% for downstream analysis.

2025
Article Tier 2

Electrospun Polyurethane Nanofiber Membranes for Microplastic and Nanoplastic Separation

Researchers developed electrospun polyurethane nanofiber membranes loaded with graphene oxide-montmorillonite that effectively separate micro- and nanoplastics from water while simultaneously adsorbing methylene blue dye, offering a multifunctional filtration solution.

2023 ACS Applied Nano Materials 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient extraction of polystyrene nanoplastics from water using an ionic liquid

Researchers developed an ionic liquid-based extraction method for efficiently removing polystyrene nanoplastics from water samples. The technique achieved high recovery rates and demonstrated effectiveness for capturing particles at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study offers a promising analytical and remediation tool for addressing nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Hierarchical MXene Hydrogel Evaporators with Self‐Regulating Water‐Thermal Management for High‐Efficiency Removal of Multipollutants via Solar‐Energy Utilization

Engineers designed a solar-powered water purification device using MXene nanomaterials that can remove up to 99% of microplastics from water while also filtering out heavy metals and killing bacteria. The device converts sunlight into heat to evaporate and purify contaminated water, and it remains effective even after exposure to extreme cold and UV aging. This technology could provide a low-cost way to produce clean drinking water in areas affected by microplastic pollution.

2025 Small 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Nature-derived hydrogel for microplastic removal

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.

2025 Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials 13 citations