Ultrasonic microplastics detector

Microplastic contamination and pollution is a growing problem. Current testing methods are slow, unreliable, expensive, and laborious. There is no existing technology capable of characterizing micro-plastic contamination in water, in situ, in real time. Researchers at Applied Ocean Sciences (AOS) and Applied Research Associates (ARA) are working to develop an ultrasound-based microplastics detector capable of characterizing the concentration and composition of plastic contamination in a complex matrix including, but not limited to, water. A prototype benchtop real-time ultrasonic sensor system that can estimate bulk microplastics concentration in a sample of seawater has been developed. Work is underway testing of the sensitivity of this sensor to concentration of microplastic contamination, and the response to other materials, such as biological material.