Microplastic in situ detection based on a portable triboelectric microfluidic sensor

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants.
• Current MP detection methods are lab-based and require expertise.
• There is a need for rapid, field-deployable MP detection tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a miniaturized microfluidic triboelectric sensor (M-TES) for rapid microplastic detection.
• To demonstrate the sensor's capability for in situ measurement of microplastic size and concentration.
• To assess the sensor's performance with controlled polystyrene particles and real-world water samples.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a miniaturized microfluidic device.
• Utilizing triboelectric principles to generate electrical signals from flowing microplastics.
• Flowing water droplets containing microplastics through the microfluidic channel.
• Measuring the induced electrical charges to correlate with microplastic properties.

Main Results:

• The M-TES demonstrated a linear response to increasing microplastic size and concentration.
• The sensor successfully distinguished between microplastics of varying sizes and concentrations.
• Experimental validation included polystyrene microparticles (500 nm to 10 μm) and coffee machine water samples.

Conclusions:

• The proposed M-TES offers a viable and versatile method for rapid microplastic detection in water.
• The sensor's portability and sensitivity make it suitable for in situ environmental monitoring.
• This technology advances the field of microplastic sensing for ecological assessments.