Waterloo Engineers' 3D-Printed Filter Caught Up to 90% of Microplastics in Tests

Engineers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed a low-cost, customizable 3D-printed filter that removed up to 90 per cent of microplastics from water in their tests, the university announced on September 29, 2026. The study was published in the journal Separation and Purification Technology.

How the filter works

The team built a gravity-driven filtration column from stacked, 3D-printed disk filters made of PLA, a biodegradable polymer. According to the university, they used a three-step process:

• Shape: the disks are printed with an offset grid pattern that forces water through the grid, maximizing contact between the filter and the flowing water.
• Pores: a water-soluble polymer is mixed into the PLA before printing and washed out afterwards, leaving pores at the nano and micro scales where particles can lodge.
• Coating: a thin pressure-sensitive adhesive layer increases microplastic capture without blocking the pores.

"We explored using between eight and 20 filters stacked together," said Dr. Tizazu Mekonnen, the chemical engineering professor who led the work with graduate student Ethan Crawford. "With 20 filters, we removed 90 per cent of microplastics." In the department's write-up, Mekonnen compares that with 55 to 70 per cent for the incumbent technology.

The caveats

The 90 per cent figure is the best result, achieved with the tallest 20-disk stack. Relatively large microplastics were captured almost completely, but particles smaller than 10 micrometres were harder to trap, and the university says removing that remaining 10 per cent is the next step. The filter is a research design, not a product you can buy, and the university describes household drinking-water systems and industrial treatment plants as potential future uses.

What it means for readers

The researchers point out that current methods such as activated carbon are only partially effective at removing microplastics, which is why cheap, adaptable filter designs are getting attention. This is one lab team's published result. It shows a promising direction, not a ready solution for home water.

A note on scope: this post summarises a university announcement about published research. It is not medical advice, and WaterVO is not involved in the study. The featured image is an illustration, not the actual filter.

Sources

• University of Waterloo, "Low-cost 3D-printed filter removes up to 90 per cent of microplastics from water" (Sep 29, 2026). Read the announcement
• University of Waterloo Chemical Engineering, "Tizazu Mekonnen's water filtration innovation" (Sep 29, 2026). Read the department story
• E. A. Crawford and T. H. Mekonnen, "3D-printed, flow-through water filters for microplastic capture: The effect of surface porosity, column height, and pressure-sensitive adhesives on removal efficiency," Separation and Purification Technology 385 (2026): 136417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136417

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