Overview

• A paper in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces details a highly absorbent, seaweed-based tablet that sits in a cup to hold fluid and reduce spills during removal.
• The insert is intended to be used with the existing Bfree Cup, whose lubricant-infused silicone is reported by its developer to repel microbes and remove the need for boiling between uses.
• The project was co-led at McMaster University with collaborator Leisa Hirtz of Women’s Global Health Innovations, with contributions from graduate and postdoctoral researchers.
• Researchers say the reusable system could cut disposable waste and costs, offering multi-year use that may improve access to menstrual care in lower-resource settings.
• A companion Nature Communications perspective outlines how future versions could integrate sensors for infection and reproductive health monitoring, which remains exploratory and will require further validation and regulatory review.