Microplastic Removal Patent Landscape 2026
Microplastic Removal Patent Landscape in 2026
The microplastic removal patent field is moderately concentrated, with CLEANR INC holding a clear lead and a small cluster of commercial and academic filers forming the second tier. Activity has expanded substantially on a multi-year basis — though annual volume has eased from its 2020 peak — and water treatment filtration remains the dominant technical route.
CLEANR INC leads a fragmented but fast-emerging field
CLEANR INC ranks first among all filers with 20 patent families, followed by Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC at 13 — a gap that signals a clear commercial leader but not yet an insurmountable moat. The top five filers collectively account for 28% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating that the field remains open to new entrants.
Below the top two, a cluster of universities and corporations — including McGill University, Princeton University, MB Holding, Procter & Gamble, SK Innovation, and the University of Michigan — each hold 4 patent families, reflecting distributed academic and industrial interest rather than winner-take-all consolidation.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLEANR INC | 20 | |
| 2 | Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC | 13 | |
| 3 | McGill University | 5 | |
| 4 | The Trustees of Princeton University | 4 | |
| 5 | MB Holding Co., Inc. | 4 | |
| 6 | PROCTER & GAMBLE CO | 4 | |
| 7 | SK Innovation Co., Ltd. | 4 | |
| 8 | University of Michigan | 4 | |
| 9 | P Tech LLC | 4 | |
| 10 | Lovely Professional University | 3 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Nanjing University | 3 | |
| 12 | Whirlpool Corporation | 3 | |
| 13 | Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. | 3 | |
| 14 | THE HONG KONG RES INST OF TEXTILES & APPAREL | 3 | |
| 15 | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati | 2 | |
| 16 | Indian Institute of Technology Patna | 2 | |
| 17 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka | 2 | |
| 18 | NITTE (Deemed to be University) | 2 | |
| 19 | Guangzhou HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute | 2 | |
| 20 | Vellore Institute of Technology | 2 |
CLEANR INC’s position, built almost entirely on filtration and laundering routes (B01D, D06F), suggests a product-focused strategy targeting domestic and industrial washing as a primary contamination source. Challengers with differentiated technology routes — such as Blue Whale’s magnetic separation focus — retain room to carve out distinct positions.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are understated due to typical patent publication lag of 12–18 months; the apparent slowdown in those years should not be read as a real deceleration. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Multi-year growth is strong; water treatment dominates the technology mix
The annual filing trend and technology composition charts together show a field that grew rapidly from 2020 onward and remains anchored in water and wastewater treatment, with meaningful secondary activity in separation processes and laundry systems.
Annual filing trend
Filing activity jumped sharply in 2020 and has held at elevated levels through 2024, with recent-window growth of 92% versus the prior three-year window. The 2025–2026 bars reflect publication lag and should be treated as partial counts rather than a real decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C02F (water and wastewater treatment) is the dominant branch by a wide margin, followed by B01D (separation and filtration). D06F (laundering), B01J (chemical and physical processes), and G01N (material analysis) each represent meaningful secondary clusters, pointing to growing interest in capture-at-source and detection approaches.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Microplastic filtration device
Disclosed is a device that filters out microplastics from water sources, particularly designed for industrial and domestic applications. The microplastic filtration device uses a combination of physical and electrical elements to trap and capture microplastics. The innovative design ensures high filtration efficiency, low pressure drop, and long-term… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
Open this patent in Eureka →| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种去除水中微塑料的强化混凝方法 | 11 |
| 2 | Vortical cross-flow filtration system | 10 |
| 3 | Systems and methods for removal on contaminants fr… | 9 |
| 4 | Method of monitoring and optionally controlling re… | 8 |
| 5 | 一种基于底栖丝状绿藻的微塑料清除藻床及方法、应用 | 6 |
| 6 | Method of monitoring and optionally controlling re… | 6 |
| 7 | Enhanced coagulation method for removing microplas… | 5 |
| 8 | Fiber-based materials for water treatment | 5 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the patent structure means for R&D investment
The combination of a Growth lifecycle stage, moderate concentration, active university-industry collaboration, and India as the leading filing jurisdiction shapes a specific set of strategic considerations for new entrants and incumbents alike.
Growth stage with annual volume eased from its 2020 peak
The field is classified as Growth: the recent three-year filing window sits 92% above the prior three-year window on a multi-year basis, confirming ongoing expansion. Annual volume has eased from its 2020 peak, and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag. This positions microplastic removal as a field where foundational IP is still being established and early movers retain a meaningful advantage.
Growth stageModerate concentration with a wide-open second tier
The top five filers hold 28% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, and the leader-to-second gap (20 vs. 13 patent families) is notable but not prohibitive. The long tail of universities and small companies filing 2–4 families each suggests the field is still in a formative phase where differentiated technical approaches can establish durable positions without requiring massive portfolio scale.
Fragmented tier 2University-industry co-filing is emerging around filtration and separation
The most active co-filing pair is Turner Daniel and Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC, with 7 joint filings, indicating a close inventor-company relationship anchored in water treatment and magnetic separation routes. The University of Michigan and Procter & Gamble have co-filed 4 patent families together, linking academic separation research with a major consumer-goods manufacturer. These collaborations signal that commercial players are actively tapping academic expertise to accelerate development.
Active co-filingIndia is the lead filing jurisdiction, with the US and EPO as the primary commercial markets
India leads all jurisdictions by patent-record count, reflecting the high volume of filings from Indian academic institutions and universities. The United States and Europe (EPO) rank second and third respectively, representing the primary commercial enforcement markets. WIPO PCT filings indicate that a subset of applicants are pursuing international protection strategies, though the overall PCT share remains modest relative to the field’s size.
India-led, US/EU commercialGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| TURNER DANIEL | Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC | 7 |
| University of Michigan (Board of Regents) | Procter & Gamble Co. | 4 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
CLEANR INC and Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC lead by distinct technical routes
The two commercial leaders have built their positions through meaningfully different technology emphases: CLEANR INC targets the laundry-to-drain pathway via filtration, while Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC focuses on water treatment with a magnetic separation component.
CLEANR INC
CLEANR INC holds 20 patent families and is a new entrant whose recent filings (18 in the most recent window) account for nearly all of its portfolio, reflecting a rapid, concentrated R&D push. Its technical focus is concentrated in B01D separation/filtration and D06F laundering and drying — consistent with a strategy targeting microfiber capture at the washing machine as the primary intervention point.
families: 20Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC
Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC holds 13 patent families but shows a declining recent trajectory (−82% in the most recent period), suggesting the core portfolio was built in an earlier burst. Its technical emphasis spans C02F water treatment and B03C magnetic/electrostatic separation, differentiating it from the filtration-dominant leader and positioning it in marine and large-volume water treatment applications.
families: 13| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| CLEANR INC | 18 | ▲ new entrant |
| Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC | 2 | ▼ -82% |
| McGill University | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| The Trustees of Princeton University | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| University of Michigan (Board of Regents) | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Procter & Gamble Co. | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| SK Innovation Co., Ltd. | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served routes worth watching in microplastic removal
Several IPC branches adjacent to the dominant water treatment core show relatively low filing density despite plausible technical relevance and realistic entry paths for teams with the right expertise.
B63B · Ships & Marine Vessels
With only 8 patent-record appearances, the marine vessel branch is sparsely covered relative to the scale of ocean microplastic contamination. There is a plausible technical case for onboard filtration or collection systems integrated into vessel operations, and Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC’s early positioning in water treatment and magnetic separation suggests the application layer exists — but the vessel-integrated engineering space remains largely unclaimed. Teams with marine systems or offshore engineering backgrounds have a realistic entry path.
Search this in Eureka →B03C · Magnetic & Electrostatic Separation
B03C appears in 13 patent records — notably through Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC and Turner Daniel — but remains a minor branch relative to the dominant filtration and water treatment clusters. Magnetic separation offers a potentially energy-efficient, membrane-free alternative for microplastic capture, particularly from industrial effluents. The sparse filing activity relative to technical promise makes this an adjacent branch where a focused portfolio could establish a differentiated position, though entry would require functional magnetic tagging or susceptibility enhancement chemistry.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | C02F 1 · Water & wastewater treatment | C02F 101 · Water & wastewater treatment | C02F 103 · Water & wastewater treatment | B01D 29 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | B01J 20 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC | Strong · 13 | Emerging · 2 | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent |
| CLEANR INC | Absent | Emerging · 2 | Emerging · 1 | Strong · 18 | Absent |
| Grimaldi Euromed S.p.A. | Strong · 3 | Absent | Strong · 3 | Strong · 3 | Absent |
| Procter & Gamble Co. | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 2 |
| University of Michigan (Board of Regents) | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 2 |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence corpus contains 150 patent families covering microplastic removal technologies across all jurisdictions and filing years included in the analysis.
CLEANR INC leads with 20 patent families, followed by Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC with 13. CLEANR INC’s portfolio has been built almost entirely in recent years, reflecting a new-entrant surge rather than a long-established position.
C02F (water and wastewater treatment) is by far the most represented IPC branch, followed by B01D (separation and filtration processes). Together they account for the large majority of patent-record appearances in the corpus.
India leads all filing jurisdictions by patent-record count, driven by high output from Indian academic institutions. The United States and Europe (EPO) are the next most active jurisdictions and represent the primary commercial enforcement markets.
The field is in a Growth stage. Recent three-year filing activity is 92% above the prior three-year window on a multi-year basis. Annual volume has eased from its 2020 peak, and the most recent years (2025–2026) are understated by publication lag, so a real plateau or decline cannot be confirmed from current data.
Yes. The most active co-filing relationship is between Turner Daniel and Blue Whale Ocean Filtration LLC, with 7 joint patent families. The University of Michigan and Procter & Gamble have also co-filed 4 patent families, linking academic separation research with a major consumer products company.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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