Towed dredge for collection of microplastics from the surface of the bottom through density separation

Abstract

The publication reflects the problematic issues related to the need to create effective equipment for the selection of microplastics from the bottom surface of water areas, which is one of the relatively new types of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. The existing methods and tools for its selection are considered and their advantages and disadvantages are determined. The design of the device for the selection of microplastics from surface bottom sediments, alternative to the existing options, is proposed. The methodological approach to the creation of such a construction is based on the expediency of simultaneous planar sampling using a towing device with the primary distribution of bottom sediments in the sampling process due to density separation. This is achieved by implementing a number of structural solutions that allow not only the selection of the upper semi-liquid layer of bottom sediments, but also the separation of the heavy mineral component, carrying out the targeted selection of substances with low density, including microplastics. Some issues remain methodologically unfounded, in particular, the possibility of recalculating the number of microplastic particles per unit volume of the substance of bottom sediments, their solution consists in conducting long-term experimental work. The principle of operation of the device, based on the conducted analysis of literary sources, has no analogues, and, in case of successful completion of experimental tests, it can become an effective and, at the same time, affordable tool for researching the surface of water areas bottom in the future.