Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a sustainable hydrogel designed to address microplastic contamination in aquatic environments. This innovative material comprises an intertwined polymer network capable of binding and degrading microplastics upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.
Traditional methods, such as filtering membranes, often become clogged by microplastics, rendering them less effective. In contrast, the IISc team, led by Professor Suryasarathi Bose, turned to three-dimensional hydrogels as a more efficient solution. The novel hydrogel consists of three distinct polymer layers—chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyaniline—intertwined to form an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) architecture. Infused with nanoclusters of copper-substituted polyoxometalate (Cu-POM), these nanoclusters act as catalysts that, when exposed to UV light, facilitate the degradation of captured microplastics.
Laboratory experiments demonstrated the hydrogel's effectiveness in removing approximately 95% and 93% of two common types of microplastics from water at near-neutral pH levels. The material also exhibited stability across a range of temperatures and maintained its efficacy over multiple cycles of microplastic removal. Additionally, once the hydrogel reaches the end of its useful life, it can be repurposed into carbon nanomaterials capable of removing heavy metals from polluted water.
This development offers a promising approach to mitigating microplastic pollution in water bodies, potentially leading to more sustainable and effective water treatment solutions in the future.