Edith Cowan University (ECU) engineering lecturer Dr Masoumeh Zargar has developed high-tech membrane filters to remove hazardous microplastics from marine and wastewater treatment systems.
Microplastics are up to 100 times smaller than a human hair strand and are hazardous to marine life and human health, producing neurotoxicity and immune system abnormalities over time.
The harmful pieces are derived from everyday plastic objects that deteriorate over time. Plastic items such as bags, bottles, toothbrushes, and plastic piping are all artificial and non-biodegradable.
Dr Zargar believes the new membrane filtration process has the potential to revolutionise water treatment around the world, beginning in Australia.
“We change the membrane structure, composition and surface properties and create more resilient environmentally friendly materials that won’t be clogged or damaged by microplastics and can remove them efficiently,” Dr Zargar explained.
Dr Zargar said they are also integrating designed modifying agents with the membranes to improve the effectiveness of microplastic separation.
Dr Zargar’s research has yielded the most time- and cost-effective techniques for making water safer and increasing the sustainability of water treatment systems.
“Our existing wastewater treatment plants aren’t properly designed to remove these tiny particles from water, so they end up in our oceans, rivers and lakes or even in our drinking water,” she stated.
She added the materials and changes used vary depending on the application of particular membranes in the water and wastewater treatment process, and they are subjected to rigorous quality control and testing to assure their efficacy and longevity.
According to ECU, 400 million tonnes of plastic are manufactured every year, which is anticipated to over double by 2050.
It is predicted that 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics have already made their way into the world’s upper oceans, which is roughly the weight of 30 billion 500 ml plastic water bottles.
“The reality is that wastewater treatment plants are one of the main pathways by which microplastics enter the aquatic environment, they account for over 25 per cent of the total microplastics entering into the oceans every year, but we are starting to change that,” Dr Zargar said.
Dr Zargar added, “It is a problem that is not going away, in fact it’s getting far worse. What this research means is that we are moving in the right direction in tackling the global plastics problem.”
