Natural Silk With Cellulose Could Remove PFAS, Heavy Metals

MIT researchers have developed an innovative, nature-inspired solution to tackle the persistence of long-lasting chemicals and heavy metals in water.

Based on a study featured in ACS Nano, this new filtration method utilizes a material derived from natural silk and cellulose. Not only does it effectively remove PFAS and other contaminants, but it also keeps the filters clean due to its antimicrobial properties.

Benedetto Marelli, an MIT civil and environmental engineering professor, revealed that the technology was originally intended for a different purpose. It was initially designed as a labeling system to prevent the spread of counterfeit seeds.

Marelli’s team transformed silk proteins into nanoscale crystals or nanofibrils through an eco-friendly, water-based drop-casting method at room temperature. However, it was Yilin Zhang, an MIT postdoc, who proposed that these nanofibrils could be applied to water filtration. Early tests failed until the team of Zhang, Marelli, and four others from MIT incorporated cellulose from agricultural wood pulp waste.

By integrating cellulose into the nanofibrils, forming a thin membrane, and charging the cellulose, they created a material with powerful filtration and antimicrobial properties. Lab tests showed that this cellulose-infused silk-based membrane outperformed traditional filtration materials like activated carbon and granular activated carbon.

Read the full article here to discover more about this groundbreaking method for eliminating PFAS and heavy metals in water.

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