Full Microplastics Survey Service
We handle every step of a microplastics survey, from planning to the final report.
We can also design and propose a survey to fit your purpose and budget.
This service is part of our Consulting survey services.
Albatross:
Microplastics Survey Service
Albatross is a survey service to find how microplastics leak
and how to stop it.
We survey rivers, ports, sewage treatment plants and many other places to understand the situation.
What Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are plastic pieces 5 mm or smaller. They come from plastic items we use every day, which break into small fragments through ultraviolet rays and other causes.
Because they are so small, microplastics are easily taken into living things, including humans. Plastic itself is not toxic, but it can absorb chemicals that are harmful to the human body, and there are concerns about effects such as cancer from ingestion (*1).
(*1) From the UK Government Office for Science report "Foresight: Future of the Sea"
Our Services
Partial Support (Sampling, Analysis, etc.)
We can also take on just one step, such as sampling only or analysis only.
Analysis needs special equipment such as FT-IR and know-how, so many clients ask us to do it.
Equipment Rental and Analysis Software
We also rent survey equipment and sell analysis software.
Items: plankton nets (0.1 mm and 0.3 mm mesh), flow meters, a motorized sampling device (Albatross No. 7), sample management software, a system to estimate leaked items, and many more
Technical Guidance
We provide survey manuals and guidance, remotely or in person.
We want to help local residents and companies solve their own local problems.
For details or a quote, please contact us below.
Our Survey Technologies
As specialists in litter leaking into nature, Pirika has developed many technologies for microplastics surveys.
Our technologies have been used by organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme.
Albatross
Microplastics Sampling Device
Surveys used to be limited by cost (expensive boat hire) and by place (hard to survey narrow spots or slow rivers). We developed an easy-to-use device that works almost anywhere. (Patent pending)
Reference: Peer-reviewed paper on the method
Leaked Item Analysis
To stop leakage, we must narrow down which items leak and by which routes. Developed with the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Miyoshi Corporation, this technology analyzes what plastic products are leaking and through which routes. (Patent pending)
Sample Management System
We built this system while running microplastics surveys at over 200 sites and analyzing and managing more than 3,000 samples. We also offer it to others, and can customize it for each laboratory or project.
Survey Process
Planning and Preparation
Decide frequency, places and methods based on purpose and budget
Timing, frequency, places, methods, required accuracy and reporting items all depend on the purpose, so it is important to make the purpose clear first.
Common examples:
- Understand how much and what kinds of microplastics leak in a region
- Get data to help plan plastic leakage countermeasures
- Check whether current countermeasures work
Sampling
Collect microplastics
Microplastics can be collected from water (especially near the surface), from the bottom (mud) or from beaches (sand). If you choose only one, we recommend sampling from the water.
*If you also want to collect heavy plastics that sink, we add sampling from the bottom. We adjust the method to your purpose.
For sampling from the water, we pass water through a net with 0.1 mm or 0.3 mm mesh and collect what remains in the net.
To get enough water through the net, we choose from towing by boat, natural flow or motorized flow. (Pirika can do all of these.)
Extraction (Pretreatment)
Remove natural materials and extract plastic pieces
This step removes solids that are clearly not plastic from the sample and cleans the surface, to make the analysis more accurate.
Options are chemical treatment or visual sorting. For quality, we recommend treatment with hydrogen peroxide solution.
Analysis
Read composition, size, color and shape to estimate leaked items and routes
Using analyzers such as FT-IR, we read the composition, size, shape and color of the microplastics.
Many microplastics surveys stop at finding the composition and amount. Pirika goes further, estimating the original products and narrowing down the leakage routes, to give analysis that helps solve the root of the problem.
Reporting and Recommendations
Summarize the results and recommendations for solutions
We deliver reports (Word or PowerPoint). We can also publish the results as open data and share them with local residents.
Past Projects
Kawasaki City Survey
Done at the request of Oda as part of her council work. We surveyed floating microplastics at 14 river and port sites in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Reference: JBpress: Where does the plastic waste floating in Tokyo Bay come from? (in Japanese)
Nationwide Survey at 100 Sites
We surveyed rivers, ports and lakes in 12 prefectures in Japan. Microplastics were found at 98 of 100 sites, showing that leakage is nationwide. The results were reported by more than 20 media outlets.
Reference: Floating microplastics database
Mekong River Basin Survey
We surveyed five cities in four countries in the Mekong River basin. We found areas of serious concern for plastic leakage downstream, with floating amounts rising sharply toward the river mouth.
Reference: UNEP CounterMEASURE (in Japanese)
For details of each project or other projects, please contact us below.
Local Partners Wanted
We are looking for partners who use Pirika technology to propose and run microplastics surveys in their regions.
Join us in solving the microplastics leakage problem.
Special Sponsors / Partners
Services
Pirika offers environmental services, from litter collection and surveys to recycling.
Litter-picking platform
Pirika
Used in 137 countries and regions, with over 470 million pieces of litter collected. Pirika makes cleanups by individuals, governments and companies visible and easier to join.
Litter distribution survey
Takanome
AI analyzes road videos to survey littering and illegal dumping. It measures the effect of countermeasures and suggests improvements to keep towns clean.
Surveys, pollution control and business support
Consulting
Pirika consultants provide environmental surveys, pollution control and support for environmental businesses, tailored to each client.
Recycling littered and washed-up waste
Recycling
We develop technology and businesses to recycle plastic and other waste that was hard to recycle before.
Automating beach cleanup
Robotics
Robots make collecting and carrying litter washed ashore more efficient. We also accept requests to exhibit them at environmental events.