Polyethylene Identification in Ocean Water Samples by Means of 50 keV Energy Electron Beam

• Main Authors: John I. Adlish, Davide Costa, Enrico Mainardi, Piero Neuhold, Riccardo Surrente, Luca J. Tagliapietra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Instruments
• Subjects: microplastics; polyethylene ocean water; microplastics identification; microorganisms identification; ocean water quality; drinking water
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/4/4/32

This study presents a new methodology to reveal traces of polyethylene (the most common microplastic particles, known as a structure of C₂H₄) in a sample of ocean water by the irradiation of a 50 keV, 1 µA electron beam. This is performed by analyzing the photon (produced by the electrons in water) fluxes and spectra (i.e., fluxes as a function of photon energy) with different types of contaminated water using an adequate device and in particular looking at the peculiar interactions of electrons/photons with the potential abnormal atomic hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), carbon (C), and phosphorus (P) compositions present in the water, as a function of living and nonliving organic organisms with PO₄ group RNA/DNA strands in a cluster configuration through a volumetric cells grid.