PlastoView – Detection of microplastics in waters
ACRONYM
PlastoView
Title
PlastoView – Detection of microplastics in waters
General information
Water quality is vital for maintaining ecosystems and human existence. However, it is threatened by the presence of microplastics. The “PlastoView” project is dedicated to developing innovative image-based methods for monitoring both, micrororganisms like plankton and microplastics. These methods will be implemented in a novel, cost-effective mobile system.
Plankton is vital to aquatic ecosystems; phytoplankton contribute to oxygen production and carbon sequestration, while zooplankton are integral to the food web. Monitoring these organisms can reveal changes in ecosystem health, such as water quality and pollution. Microplastics, ranging from 1 µm to 1 mm, originate from degraded plastics and synthetic fibers, contaminating water bodies and presenting risks to organisms and human health. Understanding microplastic distribution is crucial for environmental assessments and developing mitigation strategies. The global microplastic spread, worsened by inadequate prevention, primarily enters the sea through rivers, with an estimated 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons annually. In 2019, 139 million tons of plastic were in the aquatic environment. Current microplastic analysis employs methods like Raman and FTIR spectroscopy and visual inspection, each with limitations. Recently, a method was developed at KIT allowing simultaneous, cost-effective detection of microplastics and plankton. The “PlastoView” project aims to enhance this system, developing image processing routines to classify and distinguish between microplastics and plankton.
Start
January, 2025
End
December, 2026
Funding (total)
300000
Funding (GEOMAR)
50000
Funding body / Programme
-
Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft
/ Helmholtz Imaging
Coordination
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel (GEOMAR), Germany
Contact
Partners
KIT, Germany
