Microplastics have infiltrated every ecosystem on the planet, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. They have trickled down into the food chain and our bodies, but researchers have now designed a portable and affordable tool to help detect microplastics in liquid samples.
As Interesting Engineering shared, a team of researchers at the University of British Columbia created a portable tool that needs a sample barely the size of a drop of water to analyze, visualize, and measure microplastics.
These particles are small, often visible pieces measuring about 5 millimeters or less, while nanoplastics are a subset measured somewhere between 1 and 1,000 nanometers. For reference, a human hair is around 80,000 nanometers wide.
They are the result of plastic waste as it breaks down into smaller pieces through chemical weathering, mechanical breakdown, and even the digestive processes of animals.
"The breakdown of larger plastic pieces into microplastics and nanoplastics presents significant threats to food systems, ecosystems, and human health," said Dr. Tianxi Yang, an assistant professor in the faculty of land and food systems, who developed the tool, per the article.
"This new technique allows quick, cheap detection of these plastics, which could help protect our health and ecosystems."
Currently, methods to detect micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) take skilled personnel and pricey equipment, as the article shared, which is why the team sought more accessible tools to democratize the detection process.
The result is a cost-effective wireless portable device that researchers say can be used for fast and sensitive quantification of MNP particles. It involves a small, biodegradable, 3D-printed box with a wireless digital microscope, a green LED, and an excitation filter.
The tool uses fluorescent labeling to identify the MNP particles in the sample, and when connected to a smartphone or other mobile device, an app processes the image to count the number of glowing pixels.
A little knowledge may go a long way, but the problem with microplastic pollution isn't going away anytime soon. The particles are expected to persist in the environment for centuries, if not longer, according to the U.S. Department of State.
The oceans are inundated with the stuff, threatening aquatic life and the food chain. The presence of these particles has been linked to chronic kidney disease, health complications with mother and child during pregnancies, and impacting our respiratory systems. (Yes, we can breathe microplastics, too.)
To address the issue, the U.S. banned plastic microbeads from cosmetics and personal care products in 2015, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The United Nations aims to wrap up negotiations on a plastic pollution-based resolution by the end of this year, the State Department reports.
Removing plastic products from your everyday life is a good start in avoiding direct contamination and improving your well-being.
"To reduce plastic ingestion, it is important to consider avoiding petroleum-based plastic products by opting for alternatives like glass or stainless steel for food containers," as Dr. Yang, a co-author of the study, explained in the article.
"The development of biodegradable packaging materials is also important for replacing traditional plastics and moving towards a more sustainable world."
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