A matrix of squid bone and cotton cellulose offers a low-cost, scalable solution to global microplastic poisoning, according to a new Chinese study.
In attempting to find a material that would address all the common concerns related to microplastic filtration, the scientists’ squid cotton sponge displayed 99.9% efficiency and “remarkable reusability.”
Tested with water found in a lake, dirty pond, sea and irrigation ditch, the 99.9% removal rate only decreased by a few percentage points after multiple decontamination cycles, according to the authors. report in scientific progress.
It is becoming increasingly clear that microplastic contamination has the potential to outweigh all other health and environmental concerns as new discoveries about the harmful effects of common microplastics are made.
Consequences such as increased risk of cancer, hormonal dysregulation and developmental delays are better understood, but recent research has also linked it to a doubling of the risk of heart attack or stroke if the particles are embedded in the heart tissue.
Besides their ubiquity (microplastics have been found in every environment on Earth, from the jet stream to the depths of the ocean), the term “microplastics” can refer to up to 16,000 different chemicals, some of which can be more toxic than others. or be more difficult to remove from the body.
This is especially true for a class of chemicals known as PFAS – polyfluoroalkyl substances – often called “forever chemicals” because of their durability in the natural environment compared to other plastics. This sustainability is replicated inside the human body, with natural detoxification systems like urination and sweating. unable to clean completely PFAS tissues once ingested.
OTHER SOLUTIONS TO MICROPLASTICS:
The sponge is made from cotton and chitin found in the bone tissue of a squid. It was made with existing machinery such as mechanical stirrers and freeze dryers to ensure it would be as cheap and scalable as possible.
The authors from Wuhan University in China note that many microplastic filters and sponges have achieved purity between 95 and 99% in experimental settings, but have not been used in the real world because the materials and methods of manufacturing are too expensive and too complex. , or produce too little filtration material.
In contrast, the Wuhan team tried to make it from materials that could be acquired anywhere in the world for pennies and with machines that would be available to any manufacturer, even those in developing countries.
With appropriate testing on a commercial or industrial scale, they estimate sponges could become household and municipal products within a few years.
Saying “if there is a will, there is a way” to solve the microplastic pollution pandemic is not entirely accurate because there are already several ways. All that remains is to distinguish the main paths from the good paths and implement them as quickly as possible.
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