Beecham, James (2023) Apparatus for measuring microplastic aerosols in the atmosphere. [USQ Project]
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Abstract
Microplastics are a topic of increasing concern, with research finding these tiny plastic particles everywhere from Antarctic ice to human blood. Recently microplastics have been observed in the upper atmosphere, plausibly the transport mechanism which carries them to remote regions. Research in the area is new, so a standard apparatus has yet to be developed. The lack of standardisation makes it difficult to compare the results of various studies to model the transport mechanism (Beaurepaire et al. 2021).
This project aims to design, implement and test an apparatus which can be carried by a weather balloon to draw known quantities of air through a filter to collect samples of particulate matter.
As the field is new, it is not yet clear what additional data may be required. Therefore the control system’s operation must be easily modified by researchers and extra sensors easily added. Of utmost importance is the ability to be operated by researchers with no presumed knowledge of electronics or computer coding, and the minimum possible computer skills requirement. For easy replication, the apparatus must use common and affordable components and avoid bespoke parts.
A binderless glass fibre filter is used, as it contains no plastic and can be heated to remove any existing microplastic contamination (Song et al. 2021). To draw air through it, a cooling fan for computer servers is used in conjunction with an automotive mass airflow (MAF) sensor for feedback. By combining the MAF sensor with pressure and temperature sensors, the volumetric flow rate of air through the filter is calculated. By controlling the fan accordingly, the control system can then draw a known quantity of air through the filter.
To make the apparatus adaptable and accessible, the control system is based around a Raspberry Pi Pico running the CircuitPython programming language. Python is already widely used for data processing in research environments. The control system is programmed by dragging the code file onto it like a USB flash drive, with no software required. Retrieving the comma separated variables (CSV) format data logs is done in the same way.
Mounting parts were 3D printed and laser cut, and a simple circuit board with basic components was made to facilitate hardware interfaces and power requirements. The apparatus was assembled and tested in free air and in a vacuum chamber to assess its operation in a partial vacuum which simulates some of the conditions of that atmosphere at high altitude.
The apparatus met its goals for automatic operation, weight, cost, ease of construction and use, and sample collection performance in both free air and a vacuum chamber, showing promise for deployment in further research.
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| Item Type: | USQ Project |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Engineering (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Lobsey, Craig; Low, Tobias |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechatronic Engineering) |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Sep 2025 01:25 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Sep 2025 01:25 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | microplastic; atmosphere |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52929 |
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