A new, inexpensive, portable tool developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada promises to answer one of today’s most pressing questions: How much microplastics are we drinking along with in our drinking water?
According to the study, recently published in the journal ACS Sensorsthe new device is wireless and “enables rapid, sensitive, and on-site detection of micro/nanoplastics, followed by remote data processing using machine learning algorithms for quantitative fluorescence imaging.”
Microplastics are fragments of plastic less than five millimeters in diameter which can be found in waterways around the world and are eventually released from plastic packaging and cups. However, their detection still requires expensive laboratory equipment operated by trained technicians.
How does the device to detect microplastics in water work?
The new portable microplastic detector works in a 3D-printed box equipped with a wireless digital microscope capable of detecting plastic particles between 50 nanometers and 10 millimeters, a green LED and a device known as an excitation filter.
Complete the set a machine learning based software which can be installed on a smartphone, to analyze the images transmitted by the microscope.
With the equipment turned on, simply add a small amount of water (less than a drop), added to a solution of tannic acid (normally used in the production of wines and beers), zirconium atoms and the fluorescent dye rhodamine B.
When exposed to green LED light, this mixture reveals all the microplastics present in it . The smartphone software then counts the number of fluorescent pixels in the microscope images, thus determining the size and quantity of particles in the sample. All this is done quickly (less than 20 minutes) and is easy to understand, even for laymen.
To test their method, the team tested disposable polystyrene cups, which were filled with boiling distilled water. After being left to cool for 30 minutes, the water was analyzed in the device. “The results showed that the cups released hundreds of millions of plastic particles nanometer-sized, approximately one-hundredth the width of a human hair and smaller,” the study says.
How important is it to detect microplastic pollution?
According to project leader Dr. Tianxi Yang, a professor at UBC, “the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic into microplastics and nanoplastics presents significant threats to food systems, ecosystems and human health ”.
Nano/microplastics enter nature, mainly through human intervention, in several ways such as wear and tear on plastic products (bottles, clothes, tires), personal hygiene products (exfoliants and toothpastes), fragmentation of larger plastics (packaging and bags) and improper disposal in oceans, rivers and soil.
Present in fish and marine animals, these particles reach our bodies through the ingestion of food, through the drinking water we drink and even through inhalation in urban and industrial areas. Inside the body, microplastics go to various organs, such as the lungs, liver, kidneys, and even the blood.
Recent studies have suggested that these nanoparticles can cross the blood-brain barrier and penetrate the brain. Although the long-term effects of these microparticles on human health are still being researched, there are concerns about possible inflammation, absorption of toxic substances that adhere to them, and impact on the gut microbiome.
This content was originally published in New device can help monitor microplastics in water on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
