Putting removal to the test
In lab testing, the material removed more than 95 per cent of micro‑ and nano‑plastics, including particles as small as 30 nanometres, within one hour.
The material also removed more than 95 per cent of tested contaminants including mercury, chromium, copper, dyes and ibuprofen.
About 80 per cent were removed in the first 15 minutes, aligning with contact times used in treatment plants.
The material performed across common plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, and in both fresh and saline water.
From lab to wastewater
The team tested the material in industrial laundry wastewater, a major source of microplastic pollution from synthetic fibres.
It removed more than 88 per cent of polyester microfibres along with dyes, maintaining performance despite surfactants and organic matter.
A prototype system combining the adsorbent with magnetic separation technology from One Eye Industries in Canada showed the material could be recovered quickly after treatment and reused.
Co-lead researcher Associate Professor Nasir Mahmood from the School of Science said the results supported practical use.
“It worked in realistic water conditions, handled mixed pollutants and could be recovered efficiently,” he said.
Roger Simonson, founder and inventor of One Eye Industries, said recovery of treatment material remained one of the biggest barriers to bringing new water treatment technologies out of the laboratory.
“Industry has been waiting for a practical way to move microplastics and emerging contaminants removal out of the laboratory and into real treatment environments,” he said.
“The challenge isn't only capturing these particles, it's recovering the treatment material quickly and reliably after it has done its job, without creating a new waste stream.
“Combining high-performance pollutant capture with proven magnetic separation creates a much stronger pathway to real‑world deployment.”
