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The moringa tree, known as the "miracle tree," is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet and is prized for its healing qualities. It also has another huge benefit, according to new research: it's excellent at removing microplastics from water.
Microplastics are tiny fragments that can be as small as 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer) and are a pernicious part of the plastic pollution crisis.
They have been found everywhere, from deep oceans to towering mountains. They contaminate our food and water — a 2024 study found microplastics in 83% of tap water tested around the world — and have made their way into our bodies, including our brains, reproductive organs and cardiovascular systems. Scientists are still trying to unravel their impacts on human health, but animal research has linked them to reproductive problems and hormone disruption.
For their study, the researchers focused specifically on PVC microplastics, as these are among the most hazardous and are prevalent in drinking water, Adriano Gonçalves dos Reis, a study author and a professor at the Institute of Science and Technology of São Paulo State University.
They tested microplastics with a mean size of 18.8 micrometers — about a quarter of the thickness of the average human hair — and found the seed extracts were 98.5% effective at removing them from tap water when used in filtration systems.
Read more at the link in our bio.
📸: NurPhoto/NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
