Question

Hi I am an eighth grade student doing my first science fair project on microplastics. The first step of my experiment is replicating F. Ferriera's microplastic experiment where he used magnetite to remove microplastics from water. The problem is that I have been unsuccessful in doing this. I have used plastic glitter, microbeads and epoxy resin. None of these were attracted to the iron filings in water nor were they removed when I stirred them together and inserted a magnetic rod. What am I doing wrong? I don't think it's the plastics, is it the filings? I tried inserting a magnetite rock to see is that did anything, no luck.

Answer 1

The inability to remove microplastics from water with iron filings or a magnetite rock is due to the fact that microplastics are not inherently magnetic and will not respond to a magnetic field unless altered to contain magnetic properties. To demonstrate ferromagnetic properties, one can perform simple experiments using a bar magnet and various materials to see which are attracted to the magnet.

Step-by-step explanation:

In replicating F. Ferreira's microplastic experiment using magnetite to remove microplastics from water, it's important to note that this process is specific to the types of materials used. Microplastics such as plastic glitter, microbeads, and epoxy resin are typically not magnetic and therefore won’t be attracted to iron filings or a magnetic rod. For the magnetite process to be effective, the microplastics need to be coated or embedded with a magnetic substance. The use of plain iron filings or a magnetite rock without a specific chemical treatment to bond them to the plastics will not result in the removal of microplastics from the water.

In the procedures you mentioned involving magnetic fields and iron filings on paper to map the field patterns, the iron filings align along the magnetic field lines because they themselves become temporarily magnetized. To separate iron filings from a mixture with non-magnetic substances, a magnet can be used because iron filings are ferromagnetic. However, plastics, unless magnetically modified, do not have ferromagnetic properties and will not respond to a magnet.

To understand ferromagnetic materials, you may also want to perform simple experiments with a bar magnet to see which materials are attracted to it. Metal objects like paper clips, metal spoons (depending on the type of metal), or a metal knitting needle that has been stroked with a magnet can become temporary magnets and demonstrate attraction to a magnet. This illustrates the principle that not all materials have magnetic properties and, therefore, cannot be manipulated with a magnetic field in the same way as ferromagnetic materials like iron filings.