Using Magnetic Rust Nanoparticles To Clean Water

The water in our oceans, lakes and rivers can become polluted with a variety of contaminants, creating a need for a simple and cheap cleaning method. One team of researchers is designing magnetic nanoparticles that can target specific pollutants like estrogen hormones, which are carried into waterways by wastewater and may be harmful to aquatic life. The particles are made from iron oxide, which most of us know as rust, and researchers can modify the surface of the particles to grab on to various pollutants. Then, a magnet can pull the particles out of the water, along with any pollutants clinging to them. The work is being presented at ACS Fall 2023, a meeting of the American Chemical Society.