10/05/2025
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A natural, plant-based powder made from okra and fenugreek could revolutionize global water purification.
Natural extracts from common vegetables like okra and fenugreek could be the key to drastically reducing microplastic pollution in water.
A new study published in ACS Omega found that these plants contain natural sugar polymers capable of clumping tiny plastic particles together so they sink, allowing for easier removal.
With just one gram of dried extract per liter, the mixture was able to remove between 70% and 90% of microplastics from various types of waterβoutperforming many synthetic polymers currently used in wastewater treatment. Okra was most effective in ocean water, fenugreek in groundwater, and a blend worked best in freshwater.
This breakthrough offers a safe, accessible, and eco-friendly solution to a growing global crisis. Microplastics, which stem from industrial processes and degraded plastic debris, are increasingly being found in human tissue and linked to serious health issues such as strokes and cancer. By turning to plant-based solutions, researchers hope to curb the long-term impact of plastic pollution without introducing further toxic compounds into the water supply. The method is simple, scalable, and could reshape how we approach environmental cleanup and water safety.
Source: "Fenugreek and Okra Polymers as Treatment Agents for the Removal of Microplastics from Water Sources" ACS Omega, 2025