A natural, superabsorbent material developed at the University of Waterloo could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of personal hygiene products like diapers, menstrual pads and tampons.
A natural, superabsorbent material developed at the University of Waterloo could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of personal hygiene products like diapers, menstrual pads and tampons.
Unlike synthetic absorbent materials in commercial hygiene products, which are expected to take centuries to break down, the new hydrogel degrades harmlessly in soil within three months.
“Our goal was a scalable, economical process for producing eco-friendly materials to replace the non-degradable components currently used in personal hygiene products,” said Dr. Tizazu Mekonnen, a chemical engineering professor at Waterloo.
Read More at: University of Waterloo
Researchers at the University of Waterloo developed this natural, superabsorbent hydrogel to replace synthetic, non-biodegradable materials now used in personal hygiene products. (Photo Credit: University of Waterloo)
