Microplastics are a global environmental problem on an alarming scale. The microplastics from cosmetics, detergents, cleaning products, chemical fibers washed out of synthetic textiles, and tire debris form the main sources of microplastics pollution. Sewage plants do not reliably filter out these microparticles, particularly those <20 µm, which means that they enter the oceans via rivers and lakes. From there, the microparticles are ingested by marine animals, eventually finding their way into human organisms when they eat fish. This matter was focus of the German company GKD, specialized in solutions and services on the basis of high-performance, application-specific mesh designs.
The filtration mesh developed under a funding program by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research reduces the amount of microplastics that get into the environment by reliably retaining particles >6 µm. According to the family owned company, the stainless steel mesh has a high efficiency, ease of maintenance, and cost-effectiveness. Thanks to previously unattained separation rates and permeability, the mesh ensures the high throughput required for water management.
At the same throughput, the optimized dutch weave doubles the filtration performance compared with a 20 µm mesh, as GKD reports. Slot-shaped pores on the mesh surface and larger pores inside the mesh make this possible. This design guarantees secure particle retention, high dirt-holding capacity, and lower clogging tendency. The fact that this filter medium is simple to clean and easy to use even in existing plants makes the new mesh an auspicious partner in the fight against microplastics.