{"id":10338,"date":"2024-11-13T16:07:29","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T16:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=10338"},"modified":"2025-03-24T13:39:32","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T13:39:32","slug":"researchers-develop-low-cost-method-to-remove-micro-and-nanoplastics-from-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/researchers-develop-low-cost-method-to-remove-micro-and-nanoplastics-from-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Researchers Develop Low-Cost Method to Remove Micro- and Nanoplastics From Water"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Scientists at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo have unveiled a pioneering technique to remove stubborn micro- and nanoplastics from water, providing a hopeful solution to a critical environmental issue.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b0ffac9c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a significant breakthrough, scientists at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo in Brazil have developed a cutting-edge, nanotechnology-based method to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water. Their research, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0968432824001392?via%3Dihub\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the journal Micron, is poised to make waves in environmental conservation efforts worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Microplastics, defined as plastic fragments up to 1 millimeter in size, and nanoplastics, which are a thousand times smaller, are pervasive pollution threats in today&#8217;s world. They contaminate soil, water and air, and have even been detected in the human brain. The minuscule size of these particles makes them particularly challenging to filter out from wastewater. As a result, they end up infiltrating ecosystems and entering the food chain, creating potentially serious health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNanoparticles aren\u2019t visible to the naked eye or detectable using conventional microscopes, so they\u2019re very hard to identify and remove from water treatment systems,\u201d last author Henrique Eisi Toma, a professor of chemistry, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/agencia.fapesp.br\/low-cost-method-removes-micro-and-nanoplastics-from-water\/53275\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The innovative procedure involves magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with polydopamine, a polymer akin to dopamine found in humans. These nanoparticles latch onto plastic particles in the water, which are subsequently extracted using a magnetic field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPolydopamine is a substance that mimics the adhesive properties of mussels, which cling very tenaciously to many surfaces. It adheres firmly to fragments of plastic in water and enables the magnetic nanoparticles to capture them. This undesirable material can then be removed from the water with a magnet,\u201d Toma added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This new method not only efficiently removes microplastics and nanoplastics but also aims to degrade them using specific enzymes. One such enzyme, lipase, can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic material, into its basic components, which can then be reused to create new plastic products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur goal isn\u2019t just to remove plastic from water but also to contribute to its recycling in a sustainable manner,\u201d added Toma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The degradation of PET, used in products ranging from bottles to textiles, generates terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol &#8212; both of which are toxic. The application of lipase decomposes PET into reusable monomers, thus addressing both pollution and recycling challenges simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another aspect of the study highlights the ubiquity and complexity of plastic pollution. Toma pointed out that even bottled mineral water might be more contaminated by microplastics than treated tap water due to a lack of filtration and other treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The challenge posed by microplastics is vast, but Toma remains optimistic, urging continued research and government action to combat this pressing issue. The novel nanotechnology offers a promising solution to a problem of increasing global concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this pioneering study, the potential for a more sustainable and effective way to tackle plastic pollution shines through, providing hope for cleaner oceans and a healthier planet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a significant breakthrough, scientists at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo in Brazil have developed a cutting-edge, nanotechnology-based method to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water. Their research, published in the journal Micron, is poised to make waves in environmental conservation efforts worldwide. Microplastics, defined as plastic fragments up to 1 millimeter in size, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-climate-and-environment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In a significant breakthrough, scientists at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo in Brazil have developed a cutting-edge, nanotechnology-based method to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water. Their research, published in the journal Micron, is poised to make waves in environmental conservation efforts worldwide. Microplastics, defined as plastic fragments up to 1 millimeter in size, and&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10338"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10397,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10338\/revisions\/10397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}