This project aimed to provide scientists and environmentalists with a practical, affordable tool for understanding and addressing microplastic pollution in water bodies. The proposed sensor could play a crucial role in on-site identification, allowing for timely intervention and resource management.

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Methodology

1. Data Acquisition:

Collected electrical resistance data from microplastic experiments conducted in the microfluidic sensor. Recorded parameters such as flow rates, concentrations, and sizes of microplastics.

2. Data Preprocessing:

Cleansed data to handle outliers and inconsistencies. Organized and structured data for effective analysis.

3. Feature Engineering:

Extracted relevant features from raw data, including patterns in electrical resistance over time. Explored relationships between features and microplastic characteristics.

4. Statistical Analysis:

Applied statistical tests to assess the significance of variations in electrical resistance. Identified patterns in resistance changes corresponding to different microplastic concentrations and sizes.

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Result

This project leveraged DC electrophoretic force and electrical resistance measurement in a simple microchannel for real-time, on-site detection of 1-10 µm microplastics.

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Further Information

Published Work in Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journal (New J. of Chemistry, 2023): Simple microfluidic device for simultaneous extraction and detection of microplastics in water using DC electrical signal