A low-cost measurement system for microplastic detection in marine environment: A proof of concept

Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic debris that are released into the environment. They result from the direct release of plastic commercial products and the breakdown of larger items. They can represent a serious issue for the marine ecosystem, since they can be ingested by marine life and wind up in our food chain. The aim of this research activity is the development of a compact and low-cost measurement system for microplastic identification in marine environment. The proposed system employs a 2.4-inch liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel and a digital microscope, which are connected to a single-board computer. The system is capable of measuring the transmitted light from the plastic samples for their identification and classification. This device has been validated considering different plastic materials (e.g., polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, and polyethylene) and additional organic samples coming from algae. The obtained results are promising for further research development.