<
https://theconversation.com/new-type-of-sieve-detects-the-smallest-pieces-of-plastic-in-the-environment-more-easily-than-ever-before-264593>
"Plastic pollution is everywhere: in rivers and oceans, in the air and the
mountains, even in our blood and vital organs. Most of the public attention has
focused on the dangers of microplastics. These are fragments smaller than 5
millimetres.
But an even smaller class of fragments, nanoplastics, may pose a greater risk
to our health and our environment. With diameters of less than a micrometre
(one millionth of a metre), these tiny particles can cross important biological
barriers and accumulate in the body. Because they’re so tiny, detecting
nanoplastics is extremely difficult and expensive. As a result, determining the
extent of their impact has been largely guesswork.
A cheap, easy and reliable way to detect nanoplastics is the first step in
addressing their potential impact. In our new study published today in
Nature
Photonics, my colleagues and I describe a simple, low-cost method that
detects, sizes and counts nanoplastics using nothing more than a standard
microscope and a basic camera."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
