Providing safe, clean water: Magnetic nanoparticles with ionic liquids for water purification

In many parts of the world, access to clean drinking water is far from certain. Filtration of large volumes of water, however, is slow and impractical. Scientists have now introduced a new water purification method based on magnetic nanoparticles coated with a so-called ''ionic liquid'' that simultaneously remove organic, inorganic, and microbial contaminants, as well as microplastics. The nanoparticles are then easily removed with magnets.