The Utilization of Chitosan and Arduino Interface in Making a Microplastic Filter

Microplastics have emerged as a major issue of concern globally due to their effect on marine life, human health, and biodiversity as well as their presence in water sources. Removal of microplastic particles, which are generated from industrial waste, synthetic textiles, and plastic trash, is nearly impossible and their removal using standard filtration techniques is even more complicated. Furthermore, their presence in drinking water is increasingly becoming a global concern that poses a considerable threat of toxic chemicals and bioaccumulation through the food chain. In addition, the problem of controlling microplastic pollution is only a decade worse due to the exponential growth in the production of plastics. This study utilized the quantitative method and experimental design to solve the problem by creating a microplastic filtration device based on biopolymer chitosan filter and is enabled by an Arduino interface to improve detection and automated filtration process. The effectiveness of the device was evaluated by conducting experiments using different concentrations of microplastics for detection and removal and quantitatively measuring the results of the experiment. The Microplastic Filter demonstrated 100% detection accuracy across low, medium, and high concentrations of microplastics, and consistently extracted an average of 8.33 grams per liter from a 10-gram per liter solution within 44.33 seconds. Furthermore, the filter effectively removed microplastics of varying sizes, achieving an average extraction of 8 grams for 1- 2 millimeters particles and 9.33 grams for 2-5 millimeters particles creating a stable and efficient operation. This study underscores the effectiveness of the Microplastic Filter as a filtration medium for water. This filter demonstrated reliable performances in detecting and filtering microplastics, with high detection rates as well as high efficiency in removing the microplastics. The findings illustrate that the system provides an effective and scalable application for microplastic pollution removal with the capability for real-time monitoring and self-adjusting filtration. Recommendations: It is recommended to optimize the design of the filter by enhancing the filtration properties of materials, and improving its applications toward more universal solutions for water treatments.