While microplastic analysis is still ongoing, the StormwaterBIOCHAR 48S Treatment Boxes topped with ST (StormwaterSHALE™ Topped) and ZT (StormwaterZEOLITE™ topped) appear to be the most effective filters overall when considering average percent removal of nutrients, metals, and microplastics. Grattix boxes show promising results, particularly for nitrate removal, when paired with a metal roof, and microplastic removal. See Stormwater Symposium for more info.
See the poster produced by Payton Fischer, Cass Newman, Cara Poor, Ph.D., P.E., Jordyn Wolfand, Ph.D., P.E. at The University of Portland, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.
The post shows the initial findings showing a reduction of up to 35.9% for microplastics using BiocharBASIC™. As soon as we have more results, we will pass them on.
Stormwater_Symposium U of P (fall 2025)
What Google AI says
- High Efficiency: Research shows biochar can remove over 92% of microplastics from agricultural runoff, including tire wear particles.
- Mechanisms: Biochar uses "stuck, trapped, and entangled" mechanisms to immobilize microplastic particles, particularly in specialized filters.
- Versatility: Biochar synthesized from various biomasses (corn straw, wood, bark) is effective. Magnetic modification can enhance its ability to capture even smaller nanoplastics (up to 96% for 1 µm particles).
- Application: It is particularly promising for augmenting sand filters in wastewater treatment plants and filtering runoff.
- Limitations: While effective in controlled settings, efficiency can drop (by roughly 15–40%) in complex environments like municipal wastewater compared to pure water.ScienceDirect.com
