A step forward towards the fight against plastic pollution comes from China, where a research team fromWuhan Universityin collaboration with other prestigious institutions, has developed an innovative biological sponge. This device, made with natural materials such as cotton and the so-called squid bone (or gladius), is able to eliminate up to 99.9% of microplastics present in water. What makes this sponge even more amazing is its ability to maintain a98% removal efficiency even after five cycles of useas well as being completely biodegradable.
The microplasticsplastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters, have insinuated themselves everywhere: from the oceans to the most remote mountains, even arriving in living organisms. It has been estimated that every human being ingests and breathes about half a kilogram of plastic per yearfragments that accumulate in our organs, such as the heart, brain and lungs.
According to a study published in Frontiers in Marine Scienceour seas contain at least 14 million tons of microplasticsan impressive number that underlines the urgency of finding effective solutions. That’s exactly where this one comes in revolutionary spongea technology capable of tackling one of the most subtle environmental problems of our time.
Cotton and squid bone: the winning formula
The sponge is created from the combination of two natural materials: cellulose fibres cotton and the chitin contained insquid bonea structure also known as gladius, present in cephalopod molluscs. Thanks to the adsorbent properties of these components, the sponge is able to effectively capture the main polymers of microplastics, such as polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene.
The researchers explain that the sponge’s filtration capacity is based on a dual mechanism: physicist and electromagnetic. During the tests, conducted on different types of water (marine, stagnant, irrigated), the sponge proved to maintain a constant removal of microplastics from 98 to 99.9%even after repeated cycles of use.
Despite the low production costs, guaranteed by the wide availability of starting materials, the device presents some critical issues. One above all is correct disposal: although biodegradable, the sponge could move microplastics from one environment to another if not eliminated carefully. Furthermore, it is not yet clear how effective it can be in absorbing microplastics from the seabed, where the highest concentrations accumulate.
However, this innovation represents an important step forward in combating plastic pollution, demonstrating that sustainable and accessible solutions can really make a difference.
