Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments
Flow measurement is essential in environmental studies, enabling the calculation of contaminant loads in water and wastewater flows and supporting impact assessments. In wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), for example, measuring influent flow at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is critical for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Orbital: The Electronic Journal of Chemistry |
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| Online Access: | https://periodicos.ufms.br/index.php/orbital/article/view/22493 |
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| author | Fernando Fabriz Sodré Carlos Eduardo Rodrigues Augusto Guilherme José de Paula Gonçalves Arthur Tavares Schleicher Alexandre Fonseca |
| author_facet | Fernando Fabriz Sodré Carlos Eduardo Rodrigues Augusto Guilherme José de Paula Gonçalves Arthur Tavares Schleicher Alexandre Fonseca |
| author_sort | Fernando Fabriz Sodré |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Flow measurement is essential in environmental studies, enabling the calculation of contaminant loads in water and wastewater flows and supporting impact assessments. In wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), for example, measuring influent flow at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is critical for estimating population exposure to drugs and viruses. Mechanical flow meters are also valuable for microplastic studies in aquatic environments, as they measure water volumes passing through plankton nets during sampling. To address the need for reliable and cost-effective flow data, in this study a low-cost electromechanical flowmeter was developed. The device features a compact electronic system based on an Arduino Pro Mini board, sensors, an OLED display, and other components, allowing remote monitoring of rotations, time, and battery autonomy. The structure comprises an acrylic tube, 3D-printed impeller, caps for waterproofing, and supports for electronic circuits. The device demonstrated accurate measurements, was waterproof, compact, and adaptable to various applications. It offers a cost-effective solution, approximately 50 times cheaper than market alternatives, paving the way for innovations in WBE and microplastic research.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ab5b8584c1b45139de6264b2effa89d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1984-6428 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Orbital: The Electronic Journal of Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ab5b8584c1b45139de6264b2effa89d2025-08-20T03:21:38ZengUniversidade Federal de Mato Grosso do SulOrbital: The Electronic Journal of Chemistry1984-64282025-05-0117310.17807/orbital.v17i3.22493Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic EnvironmentsFernando Fabriz Sodré0Carlos Eduardo Rodrigues Augusto1Guilherme José de Paula Gonçalves 2Arthur Tavares Schleicher 3Alexandre Fonseca 4Universidade de BrasíliaUniversity of Brasília University of Brasília University of Brasília University of Brasília Flow measurement is essential in environmental studies, enabling the calculation of contaminant loads in water and wastewater flows and supporting impact assessments. In wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), for example, measuring influent flow at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is critical for estimating population exposure to drugs and viruses. Mechanical flow meters are also valuable for microplastic studies in aquatic environments, as they measure water volumes passing through plankton nets during sampling. To address the need for reliable and cost-effective flow data, in this study a low-cost electromechanical flowmeter was developed. The device features a compact electronic system based on an Arduino Pro Mini board, sensors, an OLED display, and other components, allowing remote monitoring of rotations, time, and battery autonomy. The structure comprises an acrylic tube, 3D-printed impeller, caps for waterproofing, and supports for electronic circuits. The device demonstrated accurate measurements, was waterproof, compact, and adaptable to various applications. It offers a cost-effective solution, approximately 50 times cheaper than market alternatives, paving the way for innovations in WBE and microplastic research. https://periodicos.ufms.br/index.php/orbital/article/view/224933D printingInstrumentationMicroplasticsMechanical flowmeterWastewater-based epidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Fernando Fabriz Sodré Carlos Eduardo Rodrigues Augusto Guilherme José de Paula Gonçalves Arthur Tavares Schleicher Alexandre Fonseca Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments Orbital: The Electronic Journal of Chemistry 3D printing Instrumentation Microplastics Mechanical flowmeter Wastewater-based epidemiology |
| title | Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments |
| title_full | Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments |
| title_fullStr | Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments |
| title_short | Development and Evaluation of an Electromechanical Flowmeter for Volumetric Flow Measurement: Applications in Wastewater-based Epidemiology and Microplastic Monitoring in Aquatic Environments |
| title_sort | development and evaluation of an electromechanical flowmeter for volumetric flow measurement applications in wastewater based epidemiology and microplastic monitoring in aquatic environments |
| topic | 3D printing Instrumentation Microplastics Mechanical flowmeter Wastewater-based epidemiology |
| url | https://periodicos.ufms.br/index.php/orbital/article/view/22493 |
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