Underwater drones tackle microplastic menace with hydrophilic tech
Scientists have developed a model of floating drones that can capture microplastics in the water. Some companies have already applied this knowledge and created an underwater cleaning robot.
The researchers published their findings in the scientific journal Advanced Science. Thanks to "hydrophilic teeth," the floating drones will effectively capture microplastics.
We probably drink coffee or tea with microplastics daily
Microplastics are small plastic particles that do not exceed 0.2 inches in size. Recently, microplastics have been found in tap and bottled water, rivers, lakes, oceans, and even human bodies. Consequently, we may be ingesting them daily. How do they get there? Through the degradation of larger plastic waste, the release of microbeads from cosmetic products, or the washing out of fibers from synthetic clothing during laundry. Introducing these particles into the environment poses a serious threat to humans and aquatic organisms, leading to their accumulation in the food chain.
Separating fine particles requires extremely dense screens and high pressure, which significantly reduces filtration efficiency. Furthermore, current filtration techniques are unable to effectively clean large areas like lakes, rivers, or oceans.
underwater drone scans upper water layers
The device, described in "Advanced Science," was created by Dr. Seong Jin Kim and Dr. Myoung-Woon Moon from the Center for Extreme Materials Research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). They developed its hydrophilic design, featuring gear-like protrusions with water-attracting properties that allow efficient microplastic collection. The drone moves independently and autonomously on water, much like a robotic vacuum cleaner, enabling efficient cleaning of large bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, or rivers. In tests, the drone recovered over 80% of microplastics, including expanded polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
Sprout Studios, in collaboration with Draper and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and inspired by Korean research, also created an underwater drone named Draper. It is designed to help combat microplastic pollution in oceans, coastal regions, and rivers.
How does it work? The drone scans the upper 30 feet of water, where most microplastics are found, identifies types of plastic, and transmits GPS data to a heat map. The project aims to create a plastic particle pollution index similar to the World Air Quality Index, which will publish measurements and forecasts of microplastic concentration trends.
It has special teeth for capturing microplastics
The drone has a large front intake that filters water and directs microplastics to an internal processing unit. Excess water is released from the back. Two proximity sensors on the sides of the intake communicate with a GPS antenna, aiding the drone in navigation. The outer ring houses the batteries, control unit, and inductive charger, and the open frame facilitates deployment and recovery. The drone is battery-powered and energy-efficient, and thanks to a self-docking wind-powered charging buoy, it is self-sustaining.
This drone uses "hydrophilic teeth" that attract water and utilize surface tension to gather various sizes and shapes of microplastics. It can operate autonomously and clean water, much like a robotic vacuum cleaner.
Innovative technologies like drones and specialized filtration systems offer hope for more effective environmental monitoring and removing microplastics. Collaboration between scientists, government institutions, and technology companies is crucial for developing and implementing these solutions on a larger scale.
