Filters

Years before Samsung and others started tackling microplastic from machine washes escaping into the environment, there was Slovenia-based PlanetCare. Now the company has announced its second-generation external filter.

Although HEPA filters and UV lights are effective at neutralizing bacteria in hospitals, homes and other settings, they do have their drawbacks. A new light-activated material known as LumaFlo, however, is claimed to have them both beat.

At CES 2023 in January, Samsung hatched a plan to stem the tide of microfibers shed during washing cycles from entering seas and oceans via a special wash program and an external filter. Now that Less Microfiber Filter has launched.

Back in 2020 we told you about the QuenchSea, a foot-pump-powered portable device for desalinating sea water. Well, its makers are back with the QuenchSea Reel, which uses deep-ocean water pressure to do the same job.

There’s no debate that microplastics present an ever-increasing ecological and health threat, but given their size, they're incredibly hard to remove from water. Now, some scientists believe sound waves and microfluidic technology may hold the key.

In countries such as India, a great deal of toxic dye waste from the textile industry is released into waterways, harming people and the environment. A new wood-derived filtration media could remove much of that dye from wastewater streams.

Microplastics are a growing environmental problem, but now researchers in Korea have developed a new water purification system that can filter out these tiny fragments, as well as other pollutants, very quickly and with high efficiency.

As microplastics pollution and potable water scarcity both worsen, it's becoming increasingly important to find efficient ways of filtering and desalinating seawater. A new aerogel definitely holds some promise, and it's made from egg whites.

Engineers at the University of Vienna have developed a new composite material that makes an efficient filter for removing organic pollutants from water. The system uses super-porous “nano-sponges” embedded on a sheet of graphene.

When cooking oil is extracted from peanuts and sunflower seeds, a waste product known as oilseed meal is left behind. New research shows that proteins harvested from that meal can be used to filter heavy metals out of contaminated water.

A new type of desalination membrane uses a series of nanoscale tubes lined with a Teflon-inspired material that repels salts while allowing water to flow through with little friction. The team says it's fast, and requires little pressure and energy.

There are many parts of the world in which fresh water may be plentiful, but it's also full of harmful microbes. An experimental new filter is able to purify such water for drinking, and it's powered solely by sunlight.