Sensor development for in-situ microplastics monitoring in water bodies

Plastics are all around us, and unfortunately, they either do not go through decomposition or take decades to decompose. Consequently, tiny plastic particles, called microplastics, are found in oceans, rivers, and even in drinking water. Living species in the oceans consume them, and these microplastics enter to our food chain and pose significant health concerns as they can be toxic to humans and animals. Currently, the detection of microplastics takes too much time and effort, and it requires laboratory equipment. In this project, we propose developing a sensor to detect microplastics in water bodies in real-time. The sensor will attach to autonomous robots to identify their size and concentration in oceans. Using GPS, we are going to map their locations. Developing and using the proposed sensor is the first step understanding their concentration and toxicity levels in oceans. 7.3. Participant

Faculty Supervisor:

Cagri Ayranci

Student:

Eyup Can Demir

Partner:

Springboard Atlantic

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta