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A McGill-led research team has developed the first in-situ real-time technology that can detect and resolve nanoplastics from all other particles in water—an ability akin to finding a
A McGill-led research team has developed the first in-situ real-time technology that can detect and resolve nanoplastics from all other particles in water—an ability akin to finding a needle in a haystack in milliseconds. The publication, “Nanoplastics in water: AI-assisted 4D physicochemical characterization and rapid in situ detection,” Environmental Science and Technology.
Microplastic pieces range in size from 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters, about the size of a grain of rice. Nanoplastics are much smaller; a nanometer is just 0.000001 millimeters. By comparison, a human hair is about 80,000-100,000 nanometers wide.
“This technology has the potential to fundamentally change how we monitor and manage plastic pollution, and ultimately help protect our environment,” said Parisa Aria, a professor in the McGill Departments of Chemistry and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), approximately 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes every day. Understanding the impact of nanoplastics on ecosystems has been difficult due to the limitations of current detection methods.
An AI-powered innovation is addressing a critical need for real-time analysis of plastic pollution. Dubbed “AI-Enabled Nano-DIHM,” the AI-powered nano-digital embedded holographic microscopy technology has garnered the attention of experts after the innovation was presented in a recent publication.
“Our study demonstrated that AI-enabled Nano-DIHM can automatically detect and distinguish nanoplastics and microplastics even when coated with other particles, providing a comprehensive understanding of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems,” Aria said.
This technology offers a practical tool to more effectively identify and address pollution hotspots. Preliminary results from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River show that AI-enabled Nano-DIHM can identify micro- and nanoplastics in waterborne particles.
Developed in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada, this innovative technology represents a decisive breakthrough in environmental monitoring.
Source: Port Altele
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