Chinese, US scientists invent air filter that blocks 99.94pc of PM2.5 pollutants – and it’s made of soya beans
Researchers say environmentally-friendly filter removes most fine pollutants that are dangerous to health – something existing air filters have failed to achieve
A team of Chinese and American scientists have jointly produced an affordable air filter out of soya bean protein that can remove almost all the harmful fine polluting particles that existing air filters were unable to achieve.
The environmentally-friendly air filter removed more than 99.94 per cent of PM2.5 pollutants – fine particles in smog that are smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter and most harmful to health, a study showed.
The air filter was developed by researchers at the University of Science and Technology Beijing and the Washington State University.
Their study will be officially published on Wednesday in this week’s issue of the Composites Science and Technology journal.
Zhong Weihong, a materials engineering professor at the US university who is part of the joint team, said the filter could remove most toxic chemical pollutants in the air – including carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide – which existing air filters had failed to achieve.
