UBC device uses wood dust to trap up to 99.9 per cent of microplastics in water

[freebeard]

https://news.ubc.ca/2023/08/16: Microplastic pollution: Plants could be the answer

UBC device uses wood dust to trap up to 99.9 per cent of microplastics in water

Could plants be the answer to the looming threat of microplastic pollution? Scientists at UBC’s BioProducts Institute found that if you add tannins—natural plant compounds that make your mouth pucker if you bite into an unripe fruit—to a layer of wood dust, you can create a filter that traps virtually all microplastic particles present in water.
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While the experiment remains a lab set-up at this stage, the team is convinced that the solution can be scaled up easily and inexpensively once they find the right industry partner.

For their study, the team analyzed microparticles released from popular tea bags made of polypropylene. They found that their method (they’re calling it “bioCap”) trapped from 95.2 per cent to as much as 99.9 per cent of plastic particles in a column of water, depending on plastic type. When tested in mouse models, the process was proved to prevent the accumulation of microplastics in the organs.

This sounds like something Gordon Murray-Smith could get into home-brewing.

[freebeard]

I need a drop box where I can store aphorisms and such like. An example from www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/business-negotiations/how-to-avoid-the-winners-curse/

Auctions pervade our world, from mergers-and-acquisitions deals and procurement auctions to eBay. To avoid becoming the next victim of the winner’s curse, follow these three guidelines:

• Analyze whether the asset has a common value element. A common value asset, like a jar of coins, has equal value to all bidders. If so, bid with caution.
• Assess your capabilities and compare them with those of other bidders.
• Before placing each bid, pause to consider how you would feel if you won the auction.

[Piotrsko]

Sounds like chatgpt advise