A cheap way to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water

Researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil have developed a cheap yet effective method for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water. The technology relies on magnetic nanoparticles that stick to the surface of the tiny waste particles and absorb them, after which the plastic breaks down.

The researchers attached molecules of immobilised enzymes — lipase and polydopamine — to magnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles. (Immobilisation is a technique in which an enzyme molecule is fixed into a phase or bound to an insoluble carrier.) Made from molecules of the “happiness hormone”, this natural polymer has unique adhesive properties similar to the protein compounds secreted by mussels and other molluscs. These “sticky” threads let the nanoparticles bond to the plastic and absorb it, which is then removed from the aqueous solution.

https://naked-science.ru/article/chemistry/magnitnye-nanochastitsy