Researchers have developed an egg white protein airgel that can remove microplastics and salt from seawater.
Microplastics are a scourge for nature, but we could solve this problem with our breakfast. Princeton researchers have used egg whites to create a lightweight, porous airgel that can remove microplastics and salt from seawater.
Researchers have developed an airgel from egg white protein.
When the preforms are freeze-dried and heated (up to 900°C) in an oxygen-free environment, their pure protein system produces carbon fiber filaments and graphene sheets that can remove 99% of microplastics from water and 98% of salt. Even fried and beaten eggs can have the same result.
As you can imagine, such an easily accessible organic material has its advantages. It is very inexpensive to manufacture and only requires gravity to operate. Does not consume energy, does not consume water. Activated charcoal is cheap but not as effective as egg white gel. And while it was supermarket eggs that led to this discovery, other proteins can be used that would not interfere with food production.
able to remove microplastics and salt from seawater
However, airgel is not yet ready for widespread use. Scientists still need to perfect the manufacturing process before considering mass production. However, if it did, the consequences would be impressive and quickly noticeable. It would be very easy to get rid of microplastics and thus purify the water, minimizing the impact on the environment. While the removal of salt may create problems in our oceans, this gel could be very useful for desalination in regions where access to potable water is difficult.
This airgel may have other uses. It can also be useful for energy storage and insulation. That is, do not be surprised if in a few years you find such proteins in the walls of your home.