Okra, Fenugreek Extracts Remove Most Microplastics from Water

Did you know that common kitchen ingredients like okra and fenugreek could help save our water? These humble plants might just be the key to removing up to 90% of microplastics from our rivers, lakes, and oceans — offering safe, plant-based alternatives to toxic chemical treatments.

What Are Microplastics and Why Should You Care?

Microplastics are tiny particles, less than 5 mm in size, formed by the breakdown of larger plastics and synthetic textiles like polyester, nylon, and fleece. These tiny invaders have made their way into nearly every water body on Earth. A 2023 study estimated that 171 trillion microplastic particles are floating in the world's waterways — from deep-sea gyres to freshwater lakes.

And it gets more serious: microplastics can penetrate the body’s natural defenses, accumulate in vital organs, and may even trigger inflammation, toxicity, and chronic diseases. According to a 2019 WWF report, the average human consumes about 5 grams of plastic every week — roughly the weight of a credit card.

A 2024 study published in PLOS Water showed that even France’s drinking water is saturated with microplastics smaller than 20 micrometers — far below the EU’s current detection threshold. This calls for urgent updates to global water safety protocols.

Why Existing Solutions Aren’t Enough

While new technologies continue to emerge, microplastics remain notoriously difficult to remove from the environment. Traditional wastewater treatments often use inorganic and organic polymeric flocculants — materials that clump and sink microplastics for removal. But there’s a catch: these are often non-biodegradable and potentially toxic.

One commonly used chemical, polyacrylamide, is a water-soluble polymer derived from acrylamide monomers. While it’s generally considered safe and used in everything from cosmetics to soil conditioners, its residual monomer (acrylamide) remains a major safety concern.

Plant Power: How Researchers Are Turning to Nature

To address this, Dr. Rajani Srinivasan and her team at Tarleton State University, Texas, are exploring plant-based alternatives. Their approach? Using the natural polymers found in okra, fenugreek, and tamarind to trap and remove microplastics.

In their recent study, published in ACS Omega, the team found that these natural extracts form polymers that stick to microplastics, causing them to clump and sink — making them much easier to separate from water.

“Using these plant-based extracts in water treatment removes microplastics and other pollutants without adding toxic substances — significantly lowering long-term health risks,” said Dr. Srinivasan, who holds a 2020 patent for this innovation.

How It Works: Extracting Sticky Plant Polymers

Here’s how the scientists did it:

Okra pods were sliced and soaked overnight in water.
Fenugreek seeds were blended and soaked separately.
The dissolved extracts were then removed and dried into powder.
These powders, rich in polysaccharides (natural polymers), were tested in water containing microplastics.

Key Results from the Lab

In water artificially spiked with microplastics, results were encouraging:

1 gram of either extract in a quart of water trapped microplastics most effectively.
Dried okra extract removed 67% of plastics in one hour.
Fenugreek extract removed 93% in the same time.
A 1:1 mixture of okra and fenugreek reached 70% removal in just 30 minutes.
Both natural extracts outperformed synthetic polyacrylamide, which is widely used in wastewater treatment.

Real-World Testing: What Happens in Actual Waterways?

To validate their findings, the team tested these powders on microplastic-contaminated water samples from various Texas water bodies. Results varied by water type:

Okra performed best in ocean water – removing around 80%.
Fenugreek was most effective in groundwater – removing 80–90%.
The 1:1 okra-fenugreek blend performed best in freshwater – at 77% removal.

Researchers believe the variations are due to different shapes, sizes, and types of microplastics present in each water source.

The Big Picture: A Greener Future for Water Treatment

No matter the source, this study confirms that okra and fenugreek extracts are viable, eco-friendly, and non-toxic alternatives to conventional polymers like polyacrylamide.

With further development, these plant-based treatments could become a game-changer for global water filtration — harnessing nature to clean up our mess without harming ecosystems in the process.