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The moringa tree, known as the “miracle tree”, is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet and is prized for its healing qualities. It also has another huge benefit, according to new research: it’s excellent at removing microplastics from water.

A team of scientists from Brazil and the United Kingdom found extracts of seeds from these fast-growing trees are just as effective at removing microplastics from drinking water as commonly used chemicals, according to their findings published in April.

Moringa trees have been used to purify water for millennia, with evidence of their use by ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, said Adriano Gonçalves dos Reis, a study author and a professor at the Institute of Science and Technology of São Paulo State University.

He and his colleagues have been studying the tree’s seeds for a decade, specifically the role they can play as a “coagulant”, a substance which causes tiny particles in water to stick together so they can be filtered out. Given growing concerns over microplastics in drinking water, they decided to look at the moringa’s potential for removing them.