As water contamination continues to be a major concern around the world, MIT has come up with a new filtration material that promises to change the way we purify our water. This approach, which includes cellulose and natural silk, is a powerful solution to the problems associated with building water treatment systems resistant to silica and low retention of the contaminants.
The Increasing Problem of Water Pollution from Chemicals
Modern technology uses chemical contaminants to such a limit that the water contamination is unacceptable. According to a recent investigation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, 98% of people tested had traces of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) circulating in their blood. These “forever chemicals” are extensively harmful and are also hard to get rid of as they stay in the environment for as long as possible.
The remedy will involve substantial costs in these areas:
- In the U.S, 57000 sites are known to be polluted by PFAS chemicals.
- According to EPA, compliance with new drinking water rules on PFAS will require approximately $1.5 billion annually for provision of PFAS remediation to be viable.
Innovative Nature-Based Options for Water Treatment by MIT
The next enters the research group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology headed by postdoc Yilin Zhang and professor Benedetto Marelli. In the recently published journal ACS Nano they introduced the development of a new filtration material which promises to be a game changer in the fight against this stubborn contamination problem.
Take note of the main aspects of the new material:
- Inherent Constituents: It consists of silk proteins and cellulose which are both renewable.
- Very Efficient: Able to extract several organic pollutants and heavy metals from the wastes.
- Antimicrobial Characteristics: Assists in minimization of filter fouling, which is a common problem in water filtration.
The Science Behind the Innovation
It was through two completely unexpected routes that the development of this material came about. First, Marelli’s group was working on a labeling system to overcome counterfeit seeds. However, they were able to develop a safe and environmentally friendly method to make silk proteins into nanotextiles.
Thus, the composition of cellulose obtained from agricultural wood pulp waste plus the hybrid material they formed has these astonishing effects:
- The sarcomere of the silk fibroin protein was drenched into nanofibrils using cellulose nanocrystal ”seeds” rather than attaching to or permeating through the nanocrystal.
- The cellulose contained in the material is sufficiently positively charged to promote significant contaminant removal.
- The thin membrane obtained was quite good in suppressing pollution of water bodies.
Impressive Performance
In laboratory tests, the new material outperformed current standard materials like activated carbon
This material in the water purification system reached another level:
- It absorbed several orders of magnitude more pollutants from water than the established pollution removal systems.
- Its antimicrobial characteristics considerably lower the chances of filter clogging.
Future Applications and Challenges
In their current stage, researchers have several possibilities in mind though at the proof-of-concept stage:
- Point-of-Use Filters: Initially, the material can be applied in household filters which are fitted on kitchen taps.
- Municipal Water Supplies: With further testing and development, it may be possible to expand on this for bigger treatment plants.
However, certain challenges continue to exist:
- That manufacturing at larger scales is associated with concepts of silk protein availability.
- Finding other, maybe cheaper, protein substitutes.
- Making this stronger over time.
A Sustainable Path Forward
What makes this invention unique is the fact that conventional materials have been replaced by naturally grown materials for the purpose of solving pollution. This statement is as true as how Professor Hannes Schniepp of College of William and Mary puts it, “this approach, as far as I am concerned – breaks the cycle”.
If on a larger scale, cheap, the above technology would be very instrumental in addressing the water challenges all over the globe. This marks a huge leap in the way we tackle several water pollution issues by allowing the use of one technology to handle all, thus promising better and a more green way of addressing heart problems of the environment that we are in.
As we unfurl into the future, there is room for optimism from the likes of MIT’s new filtration material, we will routinely look for and discover nature-based answers to some of mankind’s great environmental challenges.
