Microplastics pose a serious threat to our health and the ecosystem. And with eight million pieces of plastic pollution finding their way into the oceans daily, a scientist is now exploring the use of microplastics magnets to solve the problem.
But are there really microplastics magnets that can safely pull out tiny pieces of plastics from the waters?
Irish inventor and Forbes 30 under 30 listee Fionn Ferreira is working on the idea. Being a chemistry student at the Netherlands’ Groningen University, Ferreira says the presence of plastic particles in the environment long after we use the plastic is something that bothered him. As a result, he researched ways to remove microplastics in the ocean.
Microplastic Removal Technology
So, how exactly does Ferreira’s magnet for plastic work? The inventor says it all started when he found some oil spill remnants. The oil spill had a lot of plastic attached to it, making him realize that oil attracts plastic.
To test his idea, he mixed oil with iron oxide powder to create a liquid magnet. This came to be what we call a ferrofluid microplastics magnet. He then blended in tiny plastics from daily items, such as paint and car types, laundry water, and plastic bottles.
Once the plastics were attached to ferrofluid, Ferreira removed the gunk with a magnet, leaving the water behind. The method sounds simple. But how well does it work? Quite well, actually. In the 5,000 tests that followed, the method proved to work 87 percent of the time.
At present, Ferreira is in the process of creating a device that can use the method to trap tiny plastics when water flows into it. This device will need to fit inside pipes to be able to filter any plastic fragment. As a result, plastics will not flow over to the oceans.
Ferreira presented the idea to the Google Science Fair in 2019 and won an educational scholarship of $50,000. Ferreira’s Google Science Fair mentor Larissa Kelly said he did well in tackling a problem that has a vast global implication. In fact, they believe that the device can help in worldwide efforts to clear oceans from plastics.
Ferreira says Google Science Fair surely allowed him to pursue his idea. After all, the event recognized him as a real inventor. Also, joining the event allowed his microplastics magnets idea to be more than a “toy” made by a “child.”
Microplastics Magnets in Local Water Treatment Facility?
For cities looking for how to flush microplastics, the magnet method is surely a welcome step. And the good news is, they may soon have access to the device that will allow microplastic extraction from water.
Ferraria’s tech has received funding from Footprint Coalition, a planet-centered group backed by actor Robert Downey Jr. With the funding, Ferreira is now scaling up the tech, making it ready for use at wastewater treatment centers soon.
The young inventor is now working with US company Stress Engineering to create a mass-produced version. This version could be made of glass, stainless steel, or, fittingly so – recycled plastic. After all, aside from filtering plastic, they’re also trying to prevent creating more plastic pollution.
In addition to that, the team is trying to make the tech “quick, cheap, and low energy.” After all, if it will be applied for existing facilities, it needs to be ready for use with the present system. Also, it needs to be able to handle normal water flow rates.
Aside from being installed in drainages, the team is also designing the device for use in incoming water pipes. By doing so, the tech can protect people from drinking plastic with their water.
