Replacing microplastics with biocompatible silk fibres

Here’s the news: replace the very thin ones microplastics with the silk and then make use of it in many useful sectors. A group of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) proposed this novelty. For example, the encapsulation of the active ingredients of some drugs and supplements with fiber discarded from silk processing, biocompatible for humans.

One of the biggest problems arising from the use of plastic is the microplastics. They are microparticles that can be accidentally produced by the decomposition of large materials. Some examples are clothing with synthetic fibers, or used in toothpastes or to encapsulate active ingredients in medicines, vitamins and supplements. They are tiny filaments that will enter the food chain and should be off the European market by 2025.

As for drug encapsulation, it can come from: wasted work of the silk. Fibers not suitable for textile use can be used for the production of: biocompatible films very thin. They would perform the same function as plastic polymers. Scholars call it a cheap technique. The estimate of the number of microplastics added to products in Europe is 15% of all plastic released into the environment. MIT’s proposal is a valid input to make a significant contribution to their total eradication.

The new silk-based material can be a valuable aid in: removal of microplastics in agriculture, painting and cosmetics. From MIT they let you know:

They provide a slow release of the active ingredient for a targeted period and minimize negative effects on the environment. For example, vitamins are often administered in the form of microcapsules enclosed in a pill or capsule, and pesticides and herbicides are also packaged in a similar way. But the materials used today for this microencapsulation are plastics that persist in the environment for a long time. Until now, there was no practical and cheap alternative that could biodegrade naturally.