Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach

The study proposes a novel speckle interferometric method for detecting and quantifying microplastic leaching from paper cups, addressing concerns raised by the World Health Organization regarding human health risks. Hot water at varying temperatures is placed in 36 paper cups from different manufac...

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Main Authors: Mankuzhy Anilkumar Rithwiq, Puthuparambil Anju Abraham, Mohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna, Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Photonics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/12/1121
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author Mankuzhy Anilkumar Rithwiq
Puthuparambil Anju Abraham
Mohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna
Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman
author_facet Mankuzhy Anilkumar Rithwiq
Puthuparambil Anju Abraham
Mohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna
Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman
author_sort Mankuzhy Anilkumar Rithwiq
collection DOAJ
description The study proposes a novel speckle interferometric method for detecting and quantifying microplastic leaching from paper cups, addressing concerns raised by the World Health Organization regarding human health risks. Hot water at varying temperatures is placed in 36 paper cups from different manufacturers, and the specklegrams of the paper cups’ interior surface are recorded. The quantity of microplastics leached into water is estimated by the Neubauer chamber method, which increases with rising water temperature. Surface morphology analysis through atomic force microscopic images reveals thermal-induced melting and smearing of microplastics, decreasing roughness parameters. Co-occurrence matrix analysis of specklegrams correlates image parameters—inertia moment, homogeneity, energy, contrast, and entropy—with the microplastics count, showing surface modifications and altered pixel intensity distribution with increasing water temperature. Regression equations based on image parameters establish a strong correlation with the microplastics count, that are validated against the Neubauer chamber method. The study indicates contrast as the potential sensitive specklegram feature for microplastics detection and quantification.
format Article
id doaj-art-aae72c28ca274bae9f12cb4301484f4e
institution DOAJ
issn 2304-6732
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Photonics
spelling doaj-art-aae72c28ca274bae9f12cb4301484f4e2025-08-20T02:43:49ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322024-11-011112112110.3390/photonics11121121Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical ApproachMankuzhy Anilkumar Rithwiq0Puthuparambil Anju Abraham1Mohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna2Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman3Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Trivandrum 695581, IndiaDepartment of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Trivandrum 695581, IndiaLaboratory for Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska 13, SI-5000 Nova Gorica, SloveniaDepartment of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Trivandrum 695581, IndiaThe study proposes a novel speckle interferometric method for detecting and quantifying microplastic leaching from paper cups, addressing concerns raised by the World Health Organization regarding human health risks. Hot water at varying temperatures is placed in 36 paper cups from different manufacturers, and the specklegrams of the paper cups’ interior surface are recorded. The quantity of microplastics leached into water is estimated by the Neubauer chamber method, which increases with rising water temperature. Surface morphology analysis through atomic force microscopic images reveals thermal-induced melting and smearing of microplastics, decreasing roughness parameters. Co-occurrence matrix analysis of specklegrams correlates image parameters—inertia moment, homogeneity, energy, contrast, and entropy—with the microplastics count, showing surface modifications and altered pixel intensity distribution with increasing water temperature. Regression equations based on image parameters establish a strong correlation with the microplastics count, that are validated against the Neubauer chamber method. The study indicates contrast as the potential sensitive specklegram feature for microplastics detection and quantification.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/12/1121specklegramsmicroplasticsspeckle interferometryco-occurrence matrixentropy
spellingShingle Mankuzhy Anilkumar Rithwiq
Puthuparambil Anju Abraham
Mohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna
Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman
Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach
Photonics
specklegrams
microplastics
speckle interferometry
co-occurrence matrix
entropy
title Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach
title_full Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach
title_fullStr Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach
title_full_unstemmed Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach
title_short Quantifying Microplastic Leaching from Paper Cups: A Specklegram Image Analytical Approach
title_sort quantifying microplastic leaching from paper cups a specklegram image analytical approach
topic specklegrams
microplastics
speckle interferometry
co-occurrence matrix
entropy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/12/1121
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AT puthuparambilanjuabraham quantifyingmicroplasticleachingfrompapercupsaspecklegramimageanalyticalapproach
AT mohanachandrannairsindhuswapna quantifyingmicroplasticleachingfrompapercupsaspecklegramimageanalyticalapproach
AT sankaranarayanaiyersankararaman quantifyingmicroplasticleachingfrompapercupsaspecklegramimageanalyticalapproach