Scientists build robotic fish that devours microplastics in the seas

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According to the researchers of Sichuan University in China, the robot fish can be used to clean the microplastic objects from the oceans and seas of the planet, the number of which is estimated to reach 24 trillion!

Scientists have designed a tiny robotic fish, which is programmed to remove microplastics from the seas and oceans. The fish has the ability, while swimming, to absorb them, as it has a soft, flexible and… self-healing body!

What are microplastics? These are billions of tiny plastic particles, broken down by the larger plastic items we use every day such as water bottles, car tires and synthetic T-shirts. They are one of the biggest environmental problems of the 21st century, because once they are dispersed in the environment, through the breakdown of larger plastics, they are very difficult to get rid of, so they enter drinking water, products and food, damaging the environment and animal and human health.

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The development of a robot to accurately collect and sample harmful microplastic pollutants from the aquatic environment is of great importance“, said Yuyan Wangresearcher at Research Institute of Sichuan University and one of the lead authors of the study. The team’s new invention is described in a research paper in the journal Nano Letters. “This is the first sample of such soft robots».

Undoubtedly, this is an innovative construction! The robotic but… “miraculous” fish is just 13 millimeters long, has a laser light system in its tail, swims at a speed of almost 30 milliseconds, similar to the speed at which plankton drifts in moving water.

The researchers created the robot from materials inspired by elements that thrive in the sea such as mother-of-pearl, which is the inner covering of clam shells. The team created a mother-of-pearl-like material by arranging various tiny sheets of molecules according to its special chemical gradient.

After the robot collects the microplastics in the water, researchers can further analyze the composition and physiological toxicity of the microplastics“, the researcher points out.

The robotic fish can self-heal to 89% of its capacity and continue to adsorb microplastics even if it takes some damage or is cut by… hunting for pollutants in the waters of the seas.

The soft robot currently only works on water surfaces, so the research team will soon work on robotic fish that can go deeper underwater. Nevertheless, this bionic design could be the springboard for other similar projects. “I think nanotechnology holds great promise for the adsorption, collection and detection of trace pollutants, improving intervention efficiency while reducing operating costs“, they report themselves.

Democritus’ lab also focuses on using nanotechnology to rid the planet of microplastics. This week, Nature Food magazine announced the invention of a new plant-based spray coating that may serve as an alternative to plastic food wraps.

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