Microplastic pollution is a growing concern, as tiny plastic particles have been found everywhere—from tap water to oceans, lakes, and rivers.
These tiny particles, which range in size from a few micrometers to a few millimeters, are harmful to the environment and potentially to human health.
Traditional methods of filtering microplastics from water face significant challenges.
They often require very fine filter meshes to catch small particles, which can clog easily and lose efficiency.
Moreover, these filters don’t work well in open environments like lakes or oceans, where microplastic pollution is widespread.
Now, a team of scientists from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed an innovative solution: a floating drone with special water-skimming teeth that capture microplastics.
This exciting technology, created by Dr. Seong Jin Kim and Dr. Myoung-Woon Moon from KIST’s Center for Extreme Materials Research, is detailed in the journal Advanced Science.
The key to the drone’s success is its hydrophilic ratchet structure. The teeth of the drone are designed to attract water and create tiny “water bridges” between them.
These bridges, powered by surface tension, pull in microplastics and trap them on the teeth. This clever design allows the drone to remove microplastics of all shapes and sizes, from as small as 1 micrometer to as large as 4 millimeters.
Unlike traditional filters, this technology does not clog and maintains high efficiency. In fact, tests show that the drone can capture over 80% of microplastics, including common materials like polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
What makes this floating drone stand out is its ability to work autonomously. Like a robotic vacuum cleaner for water, the drone can move on its own through lakes, rivers, and oceans, removing microplastics in real-time.
This capability makes it a powerful tool for cleaning up large bodies of water, where fixed filtering systems often fail.
The technology has other potential uses as well. According to Dr. Moon, the same hydrophilic ratchet design could be applied to stationary systems, such as water filters for aquaculture farms. It could even be adapted for home water treatment devices, making it possible for individuals to filter microplastics from their own drinking water.
This floating drone technology offers a promising way to tackle the pressing problem of microplastic pollution.
By combining innovative design with practical applications, it could help clean up our waterways and improve water quality around the world.
With further development, it might even become a household tool for ensuring cleaner, safer water.
Source: KSR.
