Diatomic Zn-Functionalized Carbon Sphere for Microplastics Remediation in Natural Seawater at Environmentally Relevant Concentration.

Microplastics remediation in natural seawater is challenging due to their low environmental concentrations and chemical inertia under environmental conditions. Here, a novel approach is presented for the in situ capture and degradation of polyester microplastics using zinc-functionalized carbon material, for the first time at environmentally relevant concentrations in natural seawater. The capture of microplastics is driven by their multilevel non-covalent interactions with the high-surface-area carbon, while the degradation is realized by the nucleophile bridged to the dinuclear zinc sites. In natural seawater, polyester microplastics are quickly enriched onto the material and depolymerized into biodegradable substances with a conversion rate of 70% in 15 weeks. The robustness of the material is demonstrated across a wide range of dissolved organic matter and impurity concentrations, highlighting its potential applicability in diverse aquatic environments. This work offers a promising approach for addressing microplastic pollution in real-world settings.