Portable surface acoustic wave sensor systems for microplastic detection in beverages

IF 4 Q2 NANOSCIENCE & NANOTECHNOLOGY

Micro and Nano Systems Letters Pub Date : 2025-09-22 DOI:10.1186/s40486-025-00236-2

Jeong Hyeon Kim, Min Jae Hwang, Ha Yoon Jo, So Yeon Choi, Seong Hyeon Park, Haneol Lee

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The escalating global plastic production (~ 390 million tons in 2022) and subsequent environmental release of microplastics necessitate urgent advancements in real-time detection technologies. While optical methods (Raman spectroscopy, FTIR) dominate current microplastic analysis, their reliance on bulky instrumentation limits field applications. This study presents a portable surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor system for real-time microplastic detection in beverages. A biocompatible aluminum interdigital transducer (IDT) array (40 pairs, 30 μm gap) was fabricated on piezoelectric substrates (InGaN and PMN-PT), with SU-8 passivation selectively exposing sensing regions to minimize liquid-phase interference. Material characterization confirmed substrate crystallinity and composition, revealing InGaN’s superior sensitivity, estimated to be ~ 0.168 MHz/(mg/mL) than the PMN-PT-based device. The integrated system employs an InGaN-based oscillator circuit resonating at 39.06 MHz, enabling standalone operation without external signal generators. A threshold-driven LED interface (red/green for ≥ / < 0.25 mg) provides intuitive readouts, while universal printed circuit board (PCB) integration ensures portability. This work demonstrates a scalable platform for on-site microplastic monitoring, addressing critical gaps in consumer safety and environmental health.

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用于饮料中微塑料检测的便携式表面声波传感器系统

不断升级的全球塑料产量（到2022年约为3.9亿吨）以及随后的微塑料环境释放迫切需要实时检测技术的进步。虽然光学方法（拉曼光谱，FTIR）主导了当前的微塑性分析，但它们对笨重仪器的依赖限制了现场应用。本研究提出一种便携式表面声波（SAW）传感器系统，用于实时检测饮料中的微塑料。采用SU-8钝化技术，在InGaN和PMN-PT压电衬底上制备了生物相容性铝数字间换能器（IDT）阵列（40对，间隙30 μm），选择性地暴露传感区域以减少液相干扰。材料表征证实了衬底结晶度和组成，揭示了InGaN的优越灵敏度，估计比基于pmn - pt的器件高~ 0.168 MHz/(mg/mL)。集成系统采用基于ingan的振荡器电路，谐振频率为39.06 MHz，无需外部信号发生器即可独立运行。阈值驱动的LED接口（红色/绿色≥/ <； 0.25 mg）提供直观的读数，而通用印刷电路板（PCB）集成确保了可移植性。这项工作展示了一个可扩展的现场微塑料监测平台，解决了消费者安全和环境健康方面的关键差距。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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