About This Project

If we really want to know more about how much microplastic pollution is in the sea, we need globally accessible and scalable methods to measure microplastics. The EnderScope is a low-cost, open-source and easy to build microscope that can automatically scan filtered seawater samples to detect microplastics. We want to get this tool into the hands of local libraries, environmental groups and maker spaces in Ireland.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

In recent years, there has been increasing concern surrounding microplastic pollution in the sea and how it might be affecting animals, humans and the environment.

To get to the bottom of this microplastic pollution problem, we first need to know the extent of the problem. So we need a baseline measurement of how much microplastic is in the sea. So why don’t we measure it? Well, it’s trickier than it sounds. The current approaches to measuring microplastics from seawater samples are either very expensive (such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) or very time consuming (manually counting microplastics that have been filtered from seawater samples). These are both barriers to being able to measure microplastics around the world.

What is the significance of this project?

We have designed a low-cost, open-source microscope that is based on a ubiquitous 3D printer (Creality Ender 3 Pro) that can automatically scan across a filtered seawater sample and detect microplastics - The EnderScope. Microplastic pollution is a global problem, so we need globally scalable solutions. A low-cost instrument such as the EnderScope can be deployed at scale. As well as being low-cost, the EnderScope is open-source, meaning the design files and assembly instructions are freely available online. This means more people can have access to this tool and can measure microplastics in their local area. The more measurements of microplastic pollution that we have, the more we can understand the microplastic pollution problem!

What are the goals of the project?

Our next step in this project is physically getting the EnderScope into people’s hands. The requested funds will help us to build and distribute EnderScopes to libraries, maker spaces and local community environmental groups in Ireland.

We will select 5 groups and organise a workshop event with each where we will explain and demonstrate the EnderScope. We will then give one instrument to each group for them to evaluate and provide feedback on. This will allow us to identify problems with the design that we have not identified, allowing the community users to co-create the final version of the instrument with us!

These groups can choose to measure microplastics or image something entirely different! All we ask is that they share their results with us at the end of the project