By Dr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL JOURNAL
August 14, 2024
A horse drinks from the plastic-filled Cerron Grande reservoir in El Salvador - Copyright South Korean Presidential Office/AFP Handout
Nanoplastics remain an issue of societal and ecological concern. Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world’s bodies of water.
Scientists from the University of Missouri have achieved more than 98 percent efficiency removing nanoplastics from water. The liquid-based solution uses a solvent to trap the plastic particles, leaving clean water behind.
According to lead researcher Piyuni Ishtaweera: “Nanoplastics can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and enter the food chain, posing risks to both wildlife and humans. In layman’s terms, we’re developing better ways to remove contaminants such as nanoplastics from water.”
The strategy of the researchers was to use a small amount of designer solvent to absorb plastic particles from a large volume of water. The resultant method — using water-repelling solvents made from natural ingredients — offers a practical solution to the issue of nanoplastic pollution but also paves the way for further research and development in advanced water purification technologies.
The solvent sits on the water’s surface the way oil floats on water. Once mixed with water and allowed to reseparate, the solvent floats back to the surface, carrying the nanoplastics within its molecular structure.
Once complete, the researchers could, for laboratory-scale studies, use a pipette to remove the nanoplastic-laden solvent, leaving behind clean, plastic-free water. Future studies will work to scale up the entire process so that it can be applied to larger bodies of water like lakes and, eventually, oceans.
To derive at the optimal process, the scientists team tested five different sizes of polystyrene-based nanoplastics, a common type of plastic used in the making of Styrofoam cups. Their results outperformed previous studies that largely focused on just a single size of plastic particles.
The solvents are made from safe, non-toxic components, and their ability to repel water prevents additional contamination of water sources, making them a highly sustainable solution.
The research appears in the journal ACS Applied Engineering Materials, titled “Nanoplastics Extraction from Water by Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents.”
August 14, 2024
A horse drinks from the plastic-filled Cerron Grande reservoir in El Salvador - Copyright South Korean Presidential Office/AFP Handout
Nanoplastics remain an issue of societal and ecological concern. Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world’s bodies of water.
Scientists from the University of Missouri have achieved more than 98 percent efficiency removing nanoplastics from water. The liquid-based solution uses a solvent to trap the plastic particles, leaving clean water behind.
According to lead researcher Piyuni Ishtaweera: “Nanoplastics can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and enter the food chain, posing risks to both wildlife and humans. In layman’s terms, we’re developing better ways to remove contaminants such as nanoplastics from water.”
The strategy of the researchers was to use a small amount of designer solvent to absorb plastic particles from a large volume of water. The resultant method — using water-repelling solvents made from natural ingredients — offers a practical solution to the issue of nanoplastic pollution but also paves the way for further research and development in advanced water purification technologies.
The solvent sits on the water’s surface the way oil floats on water. Once mixed with water and allowed to reseparate, the solvent floats back to the surface, carrying the nanoplastics within its molecular structure.
Once complete, the researchers could, for laboratory-scale studies, use a pipette to remove the nanoplastic-laden solvent, leaving behind clean, plastic-free water. Future studies will work to scale up the entire process so that it can be applied to larger bodies of water like lakes and, eventually, oceans.
To derive at the optimal process, the scientists team tested five different sizes of polystyrene-based nanoplastics, a common type of plastic used in the making of Styrofoam cups. Their results outperformed previous studies that largely focused on just a single size of plastic particles.
The solvents are made from safe, non-toxic components, and their ability to repel water prevents additional contamination of water sources, making them a highly sustainable solution.
The research appears in the journal ACS Applied Engineering Materials, titled “Nanoplastics Extraction from Water by Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents.”
In southern Bishkek, residents have come to rely on plastic bottles of water – Copyright JIJI PRESS/AFP/File STR
No comments:
Post a Comment