Microplastic particles have become widespread environmental pollutants in the last 50 years. They’re produced during industrial processes or when plastic debris breaks down in the environment. A growing body of research warns that exposure to microplastics — in particular their collection in human tissues — may lead to adverse conditions like stroke and several types of cancer. Scientists have been attempting to develop methods to effectively remove these tiny fragments from the environment, as well as from the human body. Now they have found that the natural polymers that make okra slimy and give fenugreek (a plant of the pea family) its gel-like texture can trap most of these microplastic particles in water. In fact, the two substances have been shown to remove microplastics from ocean water, freshwater and groundwater. Researchers have also optimized a process for making okra and fenugreek extracts into powder. Just a gram of either powder in a liter of water was found to trap microplastics effectively, removing 90% within an hour. Researchers are confident that these plant-based extracts in water treatment will remove microplastics and other pollutants without introducing additional toxic substances to the treated water, thus reducing long-term health risks to the population.
