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It is estimated that less than 3% of the water on the planet is considered fresh water and only a fraction of that is drinkable. The availability of potable drinking water is of vital importance. But what if something you had for breakfast turns out to be the key ingredient for improved water quality? We'll explore the future of water purification in the U.S. National Science Foundation's "Discovery Files."

Our current water systems have many possible sources of contamination. From naturally occurring chemicals and minerals to manufacturing and land use run offs or even malfunctions in the wastewater treatment process. There's also the issue of lead pipes in older systems and the seemingly endless amounts of microplastics we are finding in every corner of the planet.

Supported in part by NSF, engineers from the Princeton Materials Institute at Princeton University have developed an aerogel, made using egg proteins, that can be used as a filter at efficiency levels beyond those of typical charcoal-based carbon filters.

Made using freeze-dried and incinerated egg whites, this new aerogel has a complex porous structure of carbon fibers and graphene sheets that is able to remove 98% of salts and 99% of micro and nano plastics from seawater.

Further testing revealed a similar efficiency using commercially available proteins, so there is no threat to the food supply from this use. The next step is refining the fabrication process so it can be used in water purification on a large or global scale.

To hear more science and engineering news, including the researchers making it, subscribe to "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast.

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