Nature-Inspired Tech Prevents Microplastics Entering Atlantic Ocean Through Wastewater.
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority installed a system at its Atlantic City wastewater plant, designed by two former Princeton graduate students, that mimics wetland plants to pull microplastics out of water.
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority has started using a new approach to remove microplastics from wastewater at its Atlantic City treatment facility, WHYY reported. The technology was designed by PolyGone Systems, a startup founded by Nathanial Banks and Yidian Liu, who are both former Princeton University graduate students.
The system copies ultrahydrophobic plants found in wetlands. Microplastics stick easily to these plants, which allows the particles to be removed from the water. According to the report, the system was installed in the week of publication, following a two-year pilot program. The utility said a federal grant fully paid for the installation and described it as the first of its kind in the world.
Plastics do not biodegrade. They break down over time into smaller fragments called microplastics, which persist in the environment and build up in living organisms. The report says these particles can reach treatment plants through industrial discharges, stormwater runoff that carries material from items such as vehicle tires, and household laundry of clothing that contains microplastics.
No state or federal rules currently require microplastics to be removed from wastewater or drinking water. The utility said removal is still important because treated effluent goes into waterways such as the Atlantic Ocean. Matt DeNafo, the authority's president, said plastic left in wastewater ends up back in the environment and in fish people eat. "It really becomes an issue for human health," he said.
Banks, who is co-founder and CEO of PolyGone Systems, said the project marks a new era for treatment innovation, with large, scalable systems. He described systems that use "a very small amount of material and very low energy" to treat difficult contaminants. The report did not give figures on how much microplastic the system removes or how much wastewater it can handle.
Note: The headline says the technology prevents microplastics from entering the ocean. The page says the system was just installed and is meant to divert microplastics, and it gives no results on how much it removes.
At a Glance
- PolyGone Systems was founded by Nathanial Banks and Yidian Liu, both former Princeton University graduate students.
- The Atlantic City system followed a two-year pilot program and was fully funded by a federal grant.
- The utility called the installation the first of its kind in the world.
- No state or federal regulations currently require microplastics removal from wastewater or drinking water.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.