High-end microplastic analysis in biofertilizer with the aid of AI

Microplastic particles pose a major potential threat to human health and the environment. The particles are found in sludge from wastewater treatment, biofertilizers and compost - residues that are widely used as fertilizers and soil improvement in agriculture. The particles are not removed from the material cycles and can accumulate in the environment. Despite this, there is currently a lack of verified, resource-efficient methods for quantifying microplastic particles in the residues, especially for those that are small; less than 50 and less than 20 μm. We will clearly improve, develop microplastic analyses with a completely new spectroscopy method, called O-PTIR, and speed up the analysis with the help of artificial intelligence (machine learning). In competition with previously tested analysis methods, we aim to develop a reliable and resource-efficient analysis procedure to quantify different microplastic polymers and sizes in compost and biofertilizers.
In this way, we create the conditions for researchers, producers and authorities to more easily assess the risks of microplastic particles when recycling the residual products.