Mia Heller of Virginia said she got the idea after learning that government agencies were not funding filtration programs
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/mia-heller-microplastics-32526-32793352219d428e9e092ecd0c08912d.jpg "Mia Heller, Microplastics")
Credit: Mia Heller/YouTube;
NEED TO KNOW
- A high schooler in Virginia invented a home filtration system that effectively eliminates about 96% of microplastics in water
- Microplastics, which are tiny particles that come from degraded plastic, may be linked to health concerns in humans
- Mia Heller, 18, hopes to one day take her prototype to market
A Virginia teenager invented a filtration system that could help households eliminate potentially harmful microplastics from their drinking water.
Several years ago, Mia Heller, now 18, learned that the water available to most Americans is contaminated with man-made microplastics, per Smithsonian Magazine.
Microplastics are small particles measuring about 1 nanometer to 5 millimeters in size that often come from larger plastic debris that has degraded into smaller pieces over time, according to Harvard Medicine.
Credit: Getty
Researchers believe there may be a link between these tiny particles and a number of health problems in humans and animals.
Heller also claimed that government agencies were not funding water filtration programs to tackle the issue, telling Smithsonian Magazine, “It was up to people to provide their own filtration.”
Heller’s parents decided to invest in an at-home filtration system. However, the Warrington teen said that she saw firsthand how cumbersome the system was to maintain — specifically how often her mother had to replace the membrane filter in the system, which is the thin barrier that physically traps contaminants.
“It inspired me to design a filter without the use of membranes, to decrease the costs and maintenance needs associated with water filtration,” Heller said.
Heller, who attends Kettle Run High School and also spends half a day a week taking math, science and technology classes at Mountain Vista Governor’s School, said she got to work on a prototype in her garage in early 2025.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Credit: Getty
The final result? A filtration system about the size of an average home appliance that removes roughly 95.5% of microplastics — a level that is competitive with many current filtration methods.
Heller’s system uses a magnetic liquid called ferrofluid. As water passes through the system, the ferrofluid attaches to microplastic particles. A magnet then pulls the contaminants out of the water, leaving cleaner water behind.
The process also allows most of the ferrofluid to be collected and reused, which could help keep costs down over time.
“The result is an affordable, low-waste filtration system without the use of a solid membrane,” Heller said.
Heller was a finalist in the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, a global science competition for high school students, for her prototype.
While she hopes to potentially bring the filtration system to market some day, she said she is aware of the limitations for larger scale use.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Credit: Getty
“Because ferrofluid is currently expensive to produce at a large scale. I see this as a system for individual home use,” she said, noting that the system could easily fit under a typical kitchen sink.
“I would love to eventually bring it out to market,” Heller added. “I think that would be something that would be really interesting.”