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A dark magnetic powder could remove 95% of the plastic particles hiding in our water.

Some plastic particles are so small that conventional water-treatment systems struggle to catch them.

Researchers at RMIT University in Australia created a magnetic adsorbent designed to attract microplastics, nanoplastics and several other contaminants.

In laboratory tests, it removed more than 95% of plastic particles within one hour, including nanoplastics measuring just 30 nanometres across.

For comparison, a human hair is roughly 2,000 times wider.

The material worked on common plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, as well as in both fresh and salt water.

It also removed more than 95% of the mercury, chromium, copper, dyes and ibuprofen tested by the researchers.

The team then tested it under more realistic conditions using wastewater from an industrial laundry, where synthetic clothing can release large quantities of plastic fibres.

Despite the presence of detergents and organic matter, the material removed more than 88% of polyester microfibres along with dyes.

Once the pollutants had been captured, magnetic-separation equipment pulled the material out of the water. This allowed the adsorbent to be recovered and reused without leaving behind another difficult waste stream.

Early tests also found that the material could capture some larger PFAS molecules. However, the researchers emphasise that its potential for removing these persistent “forever chemicals” remains at an early stage.

The team has increased production fivefold by developing a room-temperature manufacturing process that uses fewer expensive ingredients. An early analysis suggests the new version may also cost about 75% less to produce than its predecessor.

The technology has not yet been deployed widely in treatment plants. But its performance in industrial wastewater brings it a step closer to possible use in textile facilities, stormwater systems and municipal water treatment.

Learn more:
“Scalable room-temperature synthesis of a MOF-based magnetic adsorbent for rapid simultaneous removal of PFAS and micro-nanoplastics.” Chemical Engineering Journal

📸Credit: Will Wright, RMIT University

Powering data centers in seven states depends on 3.4 trillion gallons of freshwater a year.

A new analysis from the nonprofit Ceres estimates that data centers in seven U.S. states depend on power generation that withdraws about 3.4 trillion gallons (12.9 trillion liters) of freshwater every year.

That is more than California’s entire urban water demand and roughly 12 times the combined annual water use of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

The seven states studied – Virginia, Texas, California, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio, and Arizona – contain approximately half of all U.S. data centers.

In 2024, about 78 percent of the electricity generated in those states came from power plants that depend on water. Thermal power plants withdraw water to produce steam and cool equipment, while hydroelectric facilities depend on water flowing through their turbines.

But there is an important distinction.

Water withdrawal is not the same as water consumption. Some of the 3.4 trillion gallons is returned to rivers, lakes, or other sources after use. Water is considered consumed when it evaporates or is otherwise removed from the local supply.

That means data centers are not permanently using up all 3.4 trillion gallons. However, the figure reveals how heavily their electricity supply depends on freshwater.

Location makes that dependence particularly concerning. According to Ceres, 66 percent of the water-dependent power plants examined are in areas experiencing medium-high to extreme water stress or drought.

Data centers also use water directly to cool servers, but the water associated with generating their electricity can represent an even larger and less visible footprint.

The Department of Energy estimates that data centers consumed about 4.4 percent of U.S. electricity in 2023. Their share could reach between 6.7 and 12 percent by 2028 as artificial intelligence and other digital services expand.

Learn more:
“Water Behind the Watts: The Hidden Risk of Powering Data Centers.” Ceres