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Microplastic pollution and increased scarcity are the two largest threats to freshwater sources globally. A team of researchers at Princeton University have found a solution to both of these problems in an unsuspecting candidate – egg whites.
Not to freak anyone out, but recent studies are finding that humans accidentally consume around 5 grams of microplastics per week. It’s both worrying and sad, but it’s true.
Most of these particles come from microplastics in our air and water – bottled or from the kitchen tap. They’re an almost-invisible issue that experts everywhere are looking to resolve.
And ironically, the answer could’ve been right under your nose during breakfast this morning. That’s right, researchers at Princeton University have successfully developed a new material that can remove salt and microplastics from seawater using egg whites.
When heated up or freeze-dried, egg whites turn into an aerogel. Aerogel is a lightweight and porous material that can be used for various purposes, including water filtration, energy storage, and sound or thermal insulation.
The idea was generated by Craig Arnold, the vice dean of innovation at Princeton, during a team meeting. ‘I was staring at the bread in my sandwich and thought to myself, this is exactly the kind of structure that we need,’ Arnold recalled.
He started with bread, first asking his team to replicate an aerogel structure by mixing carbon into various dough recipes. After a few successful rounds of trial and error, the researchers began eliminating ingredients until only egg whites remained – and what they found yielded promising results.
