Cleaning waste with waste: using bio-based industrial sidestreams to remove micro- and nanoplastic from water bodies

This project will develop a solution to the increasing pollution of water bodies with micro- and nanoplastic in an unprecedented way. A unique approach combining natural phenomenon with biobased materials from industrial waste will be designed. First, proteins will be used to bind on the small plastic particles, and then bio-based polyelectrolytes will be used to bind the proteins, thus precipitating the entire aggregate for easy removal. The project will utilize unconventional sources of waste proteins that can bind the plastics and will test bio-based polyelectrolytes that can bind and precipitate the proteins along with the small plastic particles. The resulting natural method can practically remove micro- and nanoplastic from water bodies directly on-site.