Programme: Environment

Plastic is the most used product of anthropological origin used everywhere. Microplastics as a type of pollutant are less known, but at the same time with a greater potential for negative impact on ecosystems. A major obstacle to the implementation of large-scale, accurate and continuous measures to combat microplastics in various aquatic environments is the lack of an adequate method and devices implemented on its basis to determine the composition, size and shape of microplastic particles in real time, on site and in sufficient large water volumes. As a result of many years of work on this topic, Aqua Lid Ltd. has developed and patented a method and concepts for devices capable of solving this problem in various aquatic environments. A series of experiments carried out in laboratory conditions unequivocally showed the method's workability and clearly outlined the specific needs for additional measures to increase the accuracy and especially its reproducibility regarding the identification of the polymeric substance of the microparticles. 
A joint project implemented by Aqua Lid and ISSP BAS and financed by the National Innovation Fund for the development of a laser source with high-frequency pulsed emission with 3 wavelengths within one pulse (510 nm, 578 nm and 627.8 nm) resulted in a qualitative a jump in the possibilities of the technology being developed, even more so the company continues its joint research work with ISSP BAS regarding the creation of a source with 4 spectral lines based on the already realized project above. 
The PhD will aim to investigate the influence of the shape, composition and structure of microplastics (50 micrometers – 5 mm) of PE, PP and PET on absorption in the visible and near UV spectrum in an aqueous environment. Modeling and computer simulations of the interaction processes of coherent (laser) emission in the visible and UV spectrum with particles will be performed. Experimental verification of the models is also planned.