Scientists Invent Microscopic Coils That Can Break Down Microplastics in Our Water
Sarah Joseph
Picture Source: Tiny magnetic coils could help break down microplastic pollution | Science News. (2019). Science News. Retrieved 27 August 2019, from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/tiny-magnetic-coils-could-help-break-down-microplastic-pollution
Sources:
Original: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/tiny-magnetic-coils-could-help-break-down-microplastic-pollution
Additional: http://theconversation.com/plastic-in-drinking-water-what-are-the-risks-to-human-health-83844
Summary: From our drinking water, water treatment plants typically aren’t required to filter out microplastics, such as exfoliating beads from face washes or small flakes of plastic broken off larger pieces of trash. Recently, scientists have invented magnetic carbon nanotubes that combine with a chemical. When combined, destructive oxygen particles are released and they break down microplastics. Then, a magnet is used to fish out the tubes, and they can be reused. This could help clear waterways of microplastics, which may pose health risks to people and other animals. Even though there’s no clear evidence that they can have a negative effect on human health, as with other particles, such as those from air pollution, they could cause inflammation from an immune response if recognised as “foreign” to the body.
Questions:
Why are microplastics in our water concerning?
Do you think the magnetic coils are effective enough or is there still a lot more to be done?
What are some things you can do to limit the amount of microplastics in our water?
Microplastics in our water is concerning because we want to drink as clean of water as possible, and most don't want bits of microplastic floating around in our bodies. This research to filter out the pollution seems to be a very positive thing, I don't know exactly how the magnetic coils work so I don't know how effective they are. But it is good to work towards clearing pollution in the world. I don't know how microplastics get into the water in the first place so I don't know how we can prevent it from happening. I'd assume to just keep on recycling things and not throwing trash around. - Grace Briggs
ReplyDeleteok i agree i dont know too much about this topic, but this is concerning and i think we should just ban plastic from everywhere. Recycling is a good option but only 1/3 of the plastic is recycled. - Anushka
Deletei think mirco plastics in our water is quite concerning because it shows how much and how badly plastic has affected our every day lives and not just animals. yes animals are getting caught in plastic and are eating plastic but were also drinking plastics? which i think should shed a new light on the issue
ReplyDeleteIt could be that these magnetic carbon nano tubes that are filtering our water could create problems themselves. What if they contain a toxic chemical? What if they have a malfunction in some way? What could be done to fix it? -Tori Favazza
ReplyDeleteThis is a great first step to find a solution to break down plastic. The issue is that most of the plastic on earth is not this small. The plastic that needs to be broken down are being produced in large pieces and there is still no way to break them down at a faster rate. the magnetic carbon nano tubes are good for a very small portion of the issue.-Haleigh Madi
ReplyDeletei dont think that the magnetic coils are as effective as everyone wants them to be, but they are helping. there is probably no way to get all of the microplastics out of the water supply -molly
ReplyDeleteWhether or not microplastics have a certain negative effect on the human body, it's a step forward in cleaning our drinking water, and could possibly open doors to further inventions that could help clean the polluted air, etc. -Sawyer L
ReplyDeleteEven though micro plastics may have a negative effect on humans, it's a step towards making more water drinkable. Will we ever figure out the effects of micro plastics? If we figure this out it can lead to further research and make it healthier if it is harmful and more effective. -Andrew
ReplyDeleteMicroplastics are concerning because its in the water we drink and also the seafood we eat. -Shannon Easley
ReplyDeleteMicroplastics are concerning because it can have various effects on human and animals and while there is no clear evidence, that there are negative effects, it is still polluting our water. - Riki Tanaka
ReplyDeleteI believe more could be done to help with solving the "plastic in the water" problem because although these coils can dissolve micro plastics it still may not be enough to deal with the direct source - Nathaniel H.
ReplyDeletei think this is a good start to eliminating microplastics in the environment -brooke phelan
ReplyDeleteI think we could go bigger and better than just the magnetic coils. -kaylyn
ReplyDeleteWhat are the main health effects of the microplastics on humans and animals? - brandon smith
ReplyDelete