Water contamination by chemicals is a growing problem worldwide, with 98% of people having detectable levels of PFAS in their bloodstream. A new filtration material developed by MIT researchers using natural silk and cellulose shows promise in removing a wide variety of these persistent chemicals and heavy metals, in addition to having antimicrobial properties to prevent fouling. PFAS chemicals are used in many products such as cosmetics, food packaging, and cookware, leading to contamination at thousands of sites in the U.S. alone. Current solutions for PFAS contamination are costly and inefficient, making the natural filtration material an attractive alternative.
The technology for the new filtration material was initially developed for an unrelated purpose of creating a labelling system against counterfeit seeds. Researchers utilized silk proteins processed into nanoscale crystals through an environmentally friendly method. By adding cellulose to the silk nanofibrils, a membrane material with strong contaminant removal capabilities and antimicrobial properties was created. This material has shown to outperform existing standard filtration materials in lab tests, making it a promising solution for tackling water contamination on a larger scale.
The integration of cellulose in the silk-based membrane material plays a significant role in enhancing contaminant removal and providing antimicrobial properties. This dual functionality of removing contaminants and preventing fouling by bacteria and fungi makes the material a strong competitor to existing filtration membranes in water treatment. Researchers are working on improving the material’s durability and addressing the availability of source materials to ensure scalability for addressing global water filtration needs. Additionally, alternative protein materials may be explored to reduce costs and enhance performance.
The new filtration material is currently being considered for point-of-use filtration applications, such as attaching to kitchen faucets. Scaling up the material for municipal water supplies will require additional testing to ensure no risk of introducing additional contamination. Yet, the food-grade nature of both silk and cellulose components minimizes the risk of contamination. The material stands out for its ability to address multiple classes of contaminants simultaneously, offering a comprehensive solution to water filtration challenges. Future research will focus on further refining the material’s performance and availability for widespread implementation.
The research team at MIT, including postdocs and graduate students, developed the water filtration material with support from various funding sources. The material shows promise in effectively removing contaminants and preventing fouling, positioning it as a competitive solution for addressing water contamination challenges. By leveraging natural silk and cellulose components, the material offers a sustainable and efficient approach to water filtration, aiming to improve water quality and mitigate the growing issue of chemical contamination in water sources worldwide. Additional research will focus on enhancing the material’s performance and scalability to meet global water filtration needs.