Researchers at Flinders University have accidentally discovered a way to remove mercury from water using a material made from industrial waste and orange peel.

Mercury is a dangerous pollutant that can damage food and water supplies, affect the human nervous systems and is especially poisonous for children.

Synthetic chemist Dr Justin Chalker said his team initially set out to make a useful type of plastic or polymer made from something widely available....

....Because the material needed to make the polymer is so inexpensive, large quantities can be deployed at a site of contamination, in rivers, lakes and other waterways.

"We've also done toxicity studies to make sure that the polymer itself is not harmful to the environment so that gives us hope that we'll be able to commercialise and actually use this in the environment," Dr Chalker said.

The substance could be used to literally suck up mercury at sites where it is contaminating water.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-19/researchers-discover-a-way-to-remove-mercury-from-water/6865462