Protocol to detect and count microplastic particles using the Foldscope.
Oct 04, 2023 • 9:33 AM UTC
India
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Rafikh Shaikh
I'm a science educator interested in everything science.
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The following is an experiment to see microplastics in the air with the help of a foldscope.
Material Required: Foldscope, Glass slide, Glass cover Slip, Oil, Sanitizer, Tissue Paper, Tape, Plane Polarized Filter
Here are the following steps in which we can perform the experiment
Take a glass slide and clean it with sanitizer and tissue paper, and with a marker, mark this side to avoid any confusion Apply some oil to one of the sides of the glass slide Keep this glass slide in open for about a day so that enough dust and other particles can attach to it. You can keep it near the window You can one slide outside and one inside to see different results Take the glass slide, and with the help of the tapes on the slide attach a glass coverslip over it Insert the glass slide within the the foldscope On the lens side of the Foldscope attach a small rectangular piece of Plane Polarized filter
Material Required: Foldscope, Glass slide, Glass cover Slip, Oil, Sanitizer, Tissue Paper, Tape, Plane Polarized Filter
Here are the following steps in which we can perform the experiment
Take a glass slide and clean it with sanitizer and tissue paper, and with a marker, mark this side to avoid any confusion Apply some oil to one of the sides of the glass slide Keep this glass slide in open for about a day so that enough dust and other particles can attach to it. You can keep it near the window You can one slide outside and one inside to see different results Take the glass slide, and with the help of the tapes on the slide attach a glass coverslip over it Insert the glass slide within the the foldscope On the lens side of the Foldscope attach a small rectangular piece of Plane Polarized filter
Put a Plane Polarised light source to the Aperature side of the Foldscope
.
Ensure that no part of the tape covers the lens and the tape is all inwards.
Attach another piece of Plane polarised filter with the help of tape on the light source such that it makes 90 degrees with the first one attached to the lens when viewed. Now, view your slide.
Attach another piece of Plane polarised filter with the help of tape on the light source such that it makes 90 degrees with the first one attached to the lens when viewed. Now, view your slide.
The small glowing things in the sample are mostly microplastics.
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