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Artificial substance with properties of coral will help clean heavy metals from the ocean
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
A group of researchers from a Chinese province have created a unique artificial substance that can absorb heavy metals from water. A similar mechanism is observed in nature in sea corals, which cleanse water from various harmful impurities. Scientists from Anhui University conducted a series of studies on the effectiveness of the new substance (an improved structure of aluminum oxide) and the results showed encouraging results.
Man and his industrial activity on the planet leads to serious negative consequences for the environment, in particular, tons of pollutants (oil, chemicals, heavy metals, plastic, etc.) enter the world's oceans every day.
In the ocean, pollutants are absorbed by marine animals and plants and eventually enter the human body with food.
This problem is more serious than it may seem at first glance. According to WHO data, children living in fishing areas have been found to have problems associated with consuming large amounts of mercury from fish and seafood. Mercury not only accumulates in the tissues of shellfish and fish, but is also transformed in their bodies into even more toxic forms.
It is worth recalling the tragedy that occurred in Minamato Bay (Japan), where after the construction of a small chemical plant, local residents were struck by a terrible disease caused by the accumulation of organic mercury compounds in the body. The main symptoms are hearing and speech impairment, motor skills, numbness, tingling of the limbs, in severe cases paralysis, impaired consciousness, death develop. The disease was named Minamato syndrome, there is no effective treatment to date.
Naturally, humans are not the only ones who are affected by the negative consequences of their life on the planet; animals, sea creatures, birds, plants, etc. also suffer. For example, sea corals clean water from pollutants, but the increased content of heavy metals can lead to the death of these organisms. It is these absorbent properties of corals that have helped scientists develop an artificial substance capable of absorbing pollutants, in particular, heavy metals.
For their scientific work, the specialists chose aluminum oxide. This substance was not chosen by chance; in the past, aluminum oxide had already shown high efficiency in removing pollutants. Chinese researchers improved the structure of the substance so that it could better cope with the task.
Scientists have created aluminum oxide nanoplates with a surface that imitates natural corals (in the form of curls).
The new material was tested by specialists in the process of water purification from mercury. As a result, it was found that the improved aluminum oxide removes pollutants 2.5 times more effectively than conventional nanoparticles of this substance.
Project leader Xiabao Wang said he and his team were generally satisfied with the results of their work.
In addition, he hopes that their project will not only become a worthy example for other scientists in this field, but will also help develop new artificial materials that imitate the beneficial properties of biological organisms.
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