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"Plants may hold the key to combating microplastic pollution, according to recent research.
The device operates by utilizing wood dust to capture up to 99.9 per cent of microplastics present in water.
Is it possible that plants could hold the solution to the impending danger of microplastic pollution? Researchers at UBC's Bio Products Institute have discovered that by incorporating tannins, which are natural compounds found in plants that give unripe fruits their astringent taste, into a layer of wood dust, an effective filter can be created that captures nearly all microplastic particles found in water.
At present, the experiment remains within the confines of a laboratory setting. Nevertheless, the team is certain that the solution can be expanded in size and cost-effectively with the assistance of an appropriate industry collaborator.
Microplastics are minuscule fragments of plastic waste that originate from the deterioration of industrial refuse as well as consumer products. According to Dr. Orlando Rojas, the scientific director of the institute as well as the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Forest Bioproducts, preventing these fragments from infiltrating water supplies poses a significant challenge.
One study he cited discovered that almost all tap water contains microplastics, while other research indicates that over 10 billion tons of plastic waste that is not managed properly will be dispersed throughout the environment by 2025.
Numerous proposed solutions have been suggested, but many are either expensive or not easily expandable. However, we offer a possible remedy that could be adapted for either home or municipal use. Our filter is distinct from plastic filters in that it does not add to the ongoing pollution crisis. It is made with sustainable and biodegradable components such as tannic acids derived from plants, wood from bark, leaves, and sawdust - which is a by product of forestry that is both accessible and renewable.
During their research, the team investigated the microparticles discharged by commonly used tea bags made of polypropylene. Their recently developed technique, dubbed "bio Cap," was able to capture anywhere from 95.2% to 99.9% of plastic particles in a water column, depending on the type of plastic. In animal models, the method was effective in preventing the accumulation of microplastics in organs.
According to Dr. Rojas, a professor at UBC who teaches in the departments of wood science, chemical and biological engineering, as well as chemistry, it is a challenging task to identify and collect the various types of microplastics present in a solution. This is due to the fact that microplastics come in different shapes, sizes, and electrical charges, making it difficult to capture them all.
Various sources contribute to the accumulation of microplastics in the environment, including microfibers from garments, microbeads from soaps and cleansers, and pellets and foams from food containers and packaging. The bioCap product effectively eliminated all of these distinct microplastics through the utilization of tannic acids' diverse molecular interactions.
The development of the UBC approach was a joint effort with Dr. Junling Guo, who is a professor at the Centre of Biomass Materials and Nanointerfaces situated at Sichuan University in China. Adding to the accomplishment are Marina Mehling (she/her), a PhD student from UBC's chemical and biological engineering department, and Dr. Tianyu Guo (she/her), a postdoctoral researcher from the Bio Products Institute, who also contributed to the project.
Dr. Rojas expressed his excitement about the innovative solutions being developed to address the increasing threat to both aquatic ecosystems and human health posed by microplastics. The Bio Products Institute's collaborative efforts, which span multiple disciplines, have brought us closer to implementing a sustainable approach to combat the challenges caused by these tiny plastic particles."
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-UDFc-9x9s
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