Brazilian researchers demonstrate Moringa seed extract effectively removes microplastics from drinking water through sustainable coagulation

UNESP researchers prove Moringa oleifera seed extract is a sustainable, non-toxic alternative for filtering microplastics out of water supplies.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 17, 2026, 7:12 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

Utilizing Natural Seed Extracts for Advanced Water Purification

Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology of São Paulo State University have identified Moringa oleifera, a plant native to India and well-adapted to Brazil, as a powerful tool for environmental remediation. The study, published in the journal ACS Omega, reveals that the seeds of this plant, also known as white acacia, contain properties capable of extracting microplastics from water supplies. According to Gabrielle Batista, the study's lead author, a saline extract derived from these seeds mimics the function of aluminum sulfate, the standard chemical used in treatment plants to coagulate pollutants. This discovery offers a sustainable path forward for water treatment, particularly in tropical regions where the plant is abundant.

The Mechanics of Coagulation and Microplastic Removal

The water treatment process relies on coagulation to destabilize pollutants like microplastics, which typically carry a negative electrical charge that causes them to repel both each other and filtration sand. By introducing the moringa salt extract, these charges are neutralized, allowing the pollutants to clump together into flocs that can be easily trapped by a sand filter. According to the research coordinated by Professor Adriano Gonçalves dos Reis, this in-line filtration method is highly effective for water with low turbidity. The study highlights that in more alkaline water conditions, the natural moringa extract actually outperformed traditional aluminum-based chemicals in its ability to facilitate this clumping process.

Testing Efficacy Against Hazardous Polyvinyl Chloride Contaminants

To validate the method's effectiveness, the team contaminated tap water with polyvinyl chloride, a plastic known for its carcinogenic and mutagenic risks. The researchers artificially aged the PVC using ultraviolet radiation to accurately simulate the weathered microplastics found in natural water bodies. These samples then underwent testing in a Jar Test device, which replicates water treatment cycles on a small scale. According to the study, scanning electron microscopy was used to confirm that the moringa treatment achieved particle removal rates comparable to traditional methods, successfully filtering out the aged PVC fragments.