Mia Heller, a Virginia teenager, has developed a filtration system that could help households eliminate potentially harmful microplastics from their drinking water. The system uses a magnetic liquid called ferrofluid to attach to microplastic particles and removes roughly 95.5% of them, a level that is considered competitive with many current methods. Heller was a finalist in the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair for her prototype. While she hopes to bring the system to market some day, she acknowledges limitations for larger scale use.