Microplastic Automatic Preparation Device MAP-100

Importance of the topic

The prevalence of microplastics in oceans rivers and lakes poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. Reliable quantification and characterization of microplastic particles in surface water samples are essential for environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance. Manual preparation workflows are time consuming prone to variability and involve hazardous reagents. Automation of sample processing can address these challenges by improving consistency reducing operator exposure and freeing up laboratory resources.

Objectives and overview of the study

This article introduces the MAP 100 microplastic automatic preparation device designed to isolate microplastics from environmental water samples. The goal is to streamline the multistep digestion density separation and filtration protocol into a single automated workflow boosting reproducibility and safety while reducing labor requirements.

Methodology and instrumentation used

The MAP 100 integrates the following modules

• Digestion with hydrogen peroxide solution at controlled temperature and stirring settings
• Density separation using sodium iodide solution to float plastic particles
• Filtration to collect microplastics on a specialized filter

The device includes a reaction vessel overflow pipe and collection filter. A user friendly control software allows the operator to set temperature stirring speed and reagent volumes monitor progress view estimated completion time and perform maintenance tasks such as rinsing flow lines and checking sensors. The instrument handles 45 mL samples major axis plastics from 0.3 to 5 mm density up to 1.5 g per cubic centimeter and operates at 30 to 100 degrees Celsius without cooling. Recommended PC specifications include Windows 10 or 11 Pro 10th generation Intel Core i3 8 GB RAM and a LAN interface.

Main results and discussion

Implementation of the MAP 100 in test environments demonstrated

• Labor savings through reduction of manual interventions
• High reproducibility enabling consistent data across analysts and laboratories
• Enhanced safety from simplified handling of strong oxidizing and dense salt solutions

Performance remained stable across multiple runs with reliable recovery of microplastic particles and clear separation from organic and inorganic contaminants.

Benefits and practical applications

Key advantages

• Significant reduction in hands on processing time
• Uniform treatment conditions improve comparability of results
• Automated reagent management minimizes exposure risks

The MAP 100 is ideal for research laboratories environmental monitoring agencies and industrial quality control where consistent monitoring of microplastic pollution is critical.

Future trends and possibilities of use

Future developments may include integration with spectroscopic detectors infrared Raman or imaging systems to enable in situ identification of polymer types. Expansion to larger sample volumes portable field units and coupling with machine learning algorithms for automated particle classification will further enhance throughput and analytical capabilities.

Conclusion

The MAP 100 microplastic automatic preparation device offers a robust automated solution for isolating microplastics from environmental water samples. By combining digestion density separation and filtration into a single platform the device delivers reproducible safe and labor efficient workflows that support accurate environmental monitoring studies.

Reference

Shimadzu Corporation C391E116 Microplastic Automatic Preparation Device Application Note First Edition August 2023