Inspired By Nature: Filtering Textile Microfibres in Waste Water

It’s becoming increasingly difficult for waste-water treatment plants to clean incoming water thoroughly, because too many components get washed up. Freiburg researchers thus want to prevent certain substances, such as microfibres – the abrasion from normal washing in the washing machine – from entering waste water in the first place. Tom Masselter and Thomas Speck from the University of Freiburg didn’t have to invent their filter system from scratch but were able to find inspiration in sharks. Sharks have been filtering water very effectively for millions of years. The researchers used a 3D printer to create the first filter for microfibres based on the basking shark’s plankton filter. Thanks to close cooperation with industry, it will be possible in the future to integrate the filter into new machines but also to retrofit older models with it.