Development of Continuous Image Analysis Program for Microplastics Assisted by Two-dimensional Acoustic Focusing

Abstract

Recently, microplastics have attracted considerable attention as emerging pollutants and there is an urgent need to investigate their number and distribution. However, the analysis of microplastics is a time-consuming process. In this study, we developed a continuous image analysis program for microplastics in a microchannel. Microplastics are two-dimensionally focused around the center by an acoustophoretic force, that enable us to obtain clear images of microplastics with a microscope. The developed program automatically calculated number and size distribution of microplastics from the obtained continuous images. The developed program would speed up the microplastic analysis by solving the problems with the microfluidic device.