1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. UPSC

Sustainable Hydrogel to Remove Microplastics


Why is it in the news?

  • Researchers at Indian Institute of Science developed a sustainable hydrogel aimed at removing microplastics from water bodies.

More about the news

  • The hydrogel comprises three distinct polymer layers – chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyaniline – intricately intertwined to form an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) architecture.
  • Nanoclusters of a copper substitute polyoxometalate (Cu-POM) material are infused into the hydrogel matrix. These nanoclusters act as catalysts, facilitating the degradation of microplastics upon exposure to UV light irradiation.
  • The combination of polymers and nanoclusters results in a robust hydrogel with dual capabilities of adsorbing and degrading significant quantities of microplastics present in water.
  • The developed hydrogel demonstrates high efficiency, achieving removal rates of approximately 95% and 93% for two different types of microplastics, respectively, at near-neutral pH levels (~6.5).
  • By effectively targeting microplastic pollution, the sustainable hydrogel offers potential benefits for mitigating the adverse environmental impacts associated with microplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems.

Get free UPSC Updates straight to your inbox!

Get Updates on New Notification about APPSC, TSPSC and UPSC

Get Current Affairs Updates Directly into your Inbox

Discover more from AMIGOS IAS

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

WhatsApp Us

Exit mobile version