This High School Student Invented a Filter That Eliminates 96 Percent of Microplastics From Drinking Water

Virginia teenager Mia Heller’s filtration system harnesses the power of ferrofluid, a magnetic oil that binds to microplastics in flowing water

by Ramsha Waseem, March 20, 2026

Excerpt: "A few years ago, teenager Mia Heller came across an article in her local newspaper about ongoing water quality issues in her neighborhood in Warrington, Virginia. Tests had revealed that the water available for daily consumption was highly contaminated with PFAS and microplastic pollution. The article further reported that government agencies would not be providing any funds for filtering the water.

" 'It was up to people to provide their own filtration,' says Heller.

"Not long after the article came out, Heller’s parents invested in an advanced water filtration system at her home. The system, however, required constant upkeep. Seeing her mother replace the water filter #membranes time and again, Heller set out to find a better solution.

" 'It inspired me to design a filter without the use of membranes, to decrease the costs and maintenance needs associated with water filtration,' says the now 18-year-old student at Kettle Run High School. Through her school, she also attends a half-day program for math, science and technology at nearby Mountain Vista Governor’s School.' "

[...]

" 'It was essentially just a container,' she says. Within the container was her filtration system, what she called a 'spinning magnified vial.' Heller harnessed a reusable magnetic oil called ferrofluid to selectively bind to microplastic particles as water flows through her filtration system. While her model successfully filtered out the #microplastics from the water in two simple steps, the system still required constant maintenance, as it did not self-recycle the ferrofluid.

" 'But if I could create a system that was able to basically clean itself and #reuse material,' she explains, 'the maintenance needs could go down by a lot.' "

[...]

"About five iterations later, she found the perfect solution. Her current prototype, which is about the size of a standard bag of flour, consists of three modules. The first unit, about a liter in volume, holds the contaminated water inside it, while the second stores the magnetic oil-based ferrofluid. The core process takes place in the third module, which is much smaller. 'A magnetic field pulls the microplastics out of the water, and the ferrofluid is recovered and reused in a closed loop,' explains Heller. As a stand-alone filter (similar to a Brita pitcher), the system can filter about one liter of water at a time."

Read more:
smithsonianmag.com/innovation/…

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterFiltration #WaterIsLife #MicroplasticPollution

US #EPA - #SoakUpTheRain Program for #NewEngland: #RainBarrels

Last updated on January 13, 2026

"Rain barrels capture water from a roof and hold it for later use such as on lawns, gardens or indoor plants. Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels reduces the amount of water that flows from your property. It's a great way to conserve water and it's free water for use in your landscape.

Many cities and towns distribute rain barrels to residents through annual sales. Other sources include online retailers, local home and garden supply stores. Cisterns are also used to 'harvest' rain water. With a greater storage capacity they may be located above or below ground.

#RainwaterHarvesting, U.S. EPA Green Infrastructure

Note: Remember that as rain water flows over a roof surface it can pick up pollutants such as bacteria from birds and other animals, and chemicals from roof materials - factors to consider when thinking about using rain barrel water on edible plantings. Some links with information and suggestions are included below:

- Rain Barrels Part IV: Testing and Applying #HarvestedWater to Irrigate a Vegetable Garden, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 2013
- The Importance of Operation and Maintenance for the Long-Term Success of Green Infrastructure, U.S. EPA, 2013
- Appendix A includes information about rain barrels and #cisterns.

Information About Rain Barrels

Local resources for:

#Connecticut
#Maine
#Massachusetts
#NewHampshire
#RhodeIsland
#Vermont "

Read more:
epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rai…

#SolarPunkSunday #RainwaterCollection #RainwaterCollection #RainWaterHarvesting #WaterIsLife #WaterSystems

The Crane Estate in #IpswichMA, which is on a hill, used a cistern system to collect and store rainwater for the entire household and their gardens!

#ThisOldHouse - What Is a #Cistern?

A cistern is a water storage system used in homes and landscapes. Learn how they work and when you might need one.

updated 6/25/2025

"A cistern is an underground tank that captures and stores rainwater that you can use for irrigation, emergencies, or daily water needs. Cisterns are especially helpful in areas with unreliable or expensive municipal water systems. We’ll explore the different types of cisterns, describe the benefits each offers, and explain how cisterns differ from wells in the guide below.

Definition of a Cistern

A cistern is a watertight tank that collects and stores water for later use and is typically made of reinforced concrete, cinder block, precast concrete, fiberglass, and steel. Your home’s gutters and downspouts usually funnel rainwater into your cistern, and you can use that water as a supplemental supply, an emergency supply, or for irrigation. Cisterns can also hold groundwater, household greywater, spring water, well water, or treated city water.

Professionals can install cisterns above ground, underground, or into building structures. Burying cisterns underground might be the best option, though, as underground cisterns keep water cool during warm months and prevent it from freezing during colder weather.

Cisterns intended for domestic use typically hold at least 5,000 gallons, but sizes and setups vary according to homeowners’ needs."

Learn more:
thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/what…

#SolarPunkSunday #AncientTechnology #ModernAdaptations #WaterIsLife #RainwaterCollection #RainwaterCisterns