High-Throughput Removal of Micro(Nano)Plastics With 99.8% Rejection From Water Using Cationic Cellulose Filter-Paper...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Micro(nano)plastic pollution is a growing environmental concern.
• Current removal methods are often inefficient and slow.
• Lack of effective, rapid, and eco-friendly solutions for micro(nano)plastic remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly efficient and rapid filter for micro(nano)plastic removal.
• To fabricate a cellulose-based filter with controlled morphology and surface chemistry.
• To investigate the performance and reusability of the developed filter.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of cationic cellulose filter paper with uniform microfibers (2 µm diameter).
• Precise regulation of fiber morphology and surface chemical structure.
• Testing retention efficiency for micro(nano)plastics (0.1-100 µm) and water fluxes.

Main Results:

• Achieved 99.8% retention of micro(nano)plastics.
• High water fluxes: 25866 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ (microplastics) and 3158 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ (nanoplastics).
• Filter demonstrated effectiveness after 10 reuse cycles via solvent dissolution.

Conclusions:

• The cationic cellulose filter paper provides an efficient, rapid, and sustainable solution for micro(nano)plastic removal.
• Synergistic mechanisms (electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, physical blocking) contribute to high retention.
• Eco-friendly material and recyclability avoid secondary pollution, offering a viable remediation strategy.