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Rapid and Selective Microplastics Detection in Water Using a Cost-Effective CS–TA-Functionalized E-SMS Optical Fiber Sensor
Original title: Rapid and Selective Microplastics Detection in Water Using a Cost-Effective CS–TA-Functionalized E-SMS Optical Fiber Sensor
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Scientists have developed a cheap, fast sensor made from a specially coated optical fiber that can detect tiny traces of polyethylene—one of the most common plastics found in water—at extremely low levels. This matters because microplastics in our water supply are hard to detect with current tools, and better, more affordable detection methods could help researchers and water treatment facilities track contamination before it reaches our drinking water and bodies. While this is a promising step for monitoring technology, more research is needed to test it in real-world water sources beyond the lab.
Microplastic contamination in aquatic environments poses a persistent analytical challenge due to the minute size and low environmental concentrations of the plastic particles originating from various sources, including the degradation of large plastic debris, intentionally manufactured microbeads, and synthetic fibers. Among the different types of polymers, polyethylene (PE) stands out as one of the most widely produced plastics around the world and one of the main contributors to microplastic pollution in aquatic environments due to its extensive use in packaging materials and disposable products. To contribute to the development of practical and accessible monitoring tools, in this work we present a cost-effective optical fiber sensor for the selective detection of polyethylene (PE) microplastics. The sensor device is based on an etched singlemode–multimode–singlemode (E-SMS) fiber structure, functionalized with a chitosan–tannic acid (CS–TA) conjugate on the fiber surface to exploit the chemical affinity between the CS–TA matrix and PE. The E-SMS structure was fabricated by splicing two single-mode fibers to a 15 mm multimode fiber segment and etched with hydrofluoric acid. Experimental evaluations over a broad concentration range (0.001 to 1000 ppm) revealed a robust, concentration-dependent response. Performance metrics include a sensitivity of 3.92 nm/μg/mL and a detection limit of 0.01 μg/mL (10 ppb). By combining high selectivity with a simplified fabrication process, this CS–TA-functionalized the sensor provides a fast, sensitive, selective, and cost-effective platform for microplastic monitoring in water.
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