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Using treated plant waste as a filter reduced the presence of harmful microplastics in agricultural runoff by more than 92%, according to a new study authored by a University of Mississippi research team.

An Ole Miss-led research group has recently published proof-of-concept data in Frontiers in Environmental Science that shows biochar to be a cost-friendly and effective method of filtering microplastics from overland water runoff. Biochar is a type of charcoal made from plant material that has been heated or burned in an oxygen-limited environment.

"Microplastics in the environment stem in part from the degradation of larger plastics by natural physical, chemical and biological processes," said James Cizdziel, professor and interim chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

"They pose an enormous challenge as they are widespread, persistent and can accumulate in plants and wildlife, leading to detrimental effects on certain organisms and, potentially, on humans who consume them."

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