About 14 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year and plastic never fully break down. They fragment into smaller pieces called microplastics.
In a new study, scientists describe a new type of nanotechnology that could help: tiny magnetic “nano-coils” that create chemical reactions in order to break down microplastics in the ocean. The process converts the plastic into carbon dioxide and water.
Nano-tech refers to anything smaller than one billionth of a meter, or half the width of a human hair, the process converts the plastic pieces into harmless salt compounds, Co2, and water.
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Source: Business Insider
[https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-pollution-magnetic-coils-could-break-down-microplastics-2019-8](https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-pollution-magnetic-coils-could-break-down-microplastics-2019-8)