Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a promising technology to remove harmful nanoplastics from contaminated water. This innovation boasts a remarkable 94% efficiency rate, offering a potential solution to the growing problem of plastic pollution in our environment.
Plastic pollution is a global crisis with significant environmental and human health concerns. Microplastics, tiny plastic fragments, have received much attention, but even smaller nanoplastics – a thousand times smaller – pose a potentially greater threat due to their ability to penetrate cells and evade detection. Unfortunately, effective methods to eliminate nanoplastics from vast water bodies like lakes and oceans have been limited.
This research, led by Professor Tizazu Mekonnen, a Waterloo Chemical Engineering expert in polymer engineering, presents a novel approach to tackle this challenge. “Well-designed plastics can not only help reduce climate change but also contribute to economic development and job creation,” says Mekonnen. “This technology has the potential to significantly shrink the plastics industry's carbon footprint.”
Mekonnen's team, including graduate student Rachel Blanchard, focused on a clever method that utilizes waste epoxy – a type of plastic often ending up in landfills or waterways. Through a process called thermal decomposition, they transformed this waste material into activated carbon, a substance known for its ability to trap pollutants.
The researchers then used this activated carbon to treat water contaminated with nanoplastics derived from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic found in water bottles and clothing. Their findings demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique in capturing these tiny contaminants, thanks to the porous structure of the recycled plastic-turned-activated carbon.
“Nanoplastics pose a greater health risk than microplastics due to their ability to enter cells and remain undetected,” explains Mekonnen. “Our method achieved a 94% removal rate by physically trapping these pollutants within the activated carbon's pores.”
The team's future research will focus on applying this method to various plastic types and scaling it up for use in municipal wastewater treatment facilities, which typically handle a mix of contaminants alongside microplastics. This innovative technology offers a significant leap forward in addressing the global challenge of plastic pollution in our water systems.
The study was published in the journal Separation and Purification Technology.
Source: University of Waterloo