Microplastics are pervasive in the environment and often so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye. Removing them has been a big challenge, but recent research finds that water hyacinths can be effective at remediating microplastic from aquatic environments. Native to South America, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has become invasive in waterways across […]
  • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    4 days ago

    The snag seems to be that the microplastic ends up in the soil rather than the water. After all, it’s not being digested. For that, we’ll have to wait for bacteria or fungi to evolve. But getting it out of waterways would surely count as progress.

    • PhilipTheBucket@ponder.catOPEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      Yeah. Sometimes you have to focus on a not-yet-working solution a little bit, and play around with that one, before you can get to the solution that actually accomplishes anything.