Microplastics are everywhere, from the deepest depths of the ocean to the highest point of Mount Everest, even human brains and they’re notoriously hard to get rid of. Now, scientists in China may have come up with a solution.
The scientists created a biodegradable sponge made of cotton and squid bones. They said research has shown this material can remove almost all tiny plastic particles from water sources.
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The sponge uses chitin from squid bones and cellulose from cotton, which are both organic compounds known for eliminating pollution from wastewater.
Researchers tested the sponge on four different types of water: irrigation water, pond water, lake water and seawater. They found it removed up to 99.9% of microplastics in the samples.
The study’s authors say the sponge’s production appears to be scalable, which means they can make larger batches of it to meet potential demand. Previous similar microplastic filtration systems were found to be successful but couldn’t be scaled up.
If the new sponge works successfully on a large scale, which is the next step in testing, it could be a world-changing discovery.
