Employees of Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University have proposed an innovative technology for studying tiny objects. The method is based on the use of special techniques for analyzing light polarization.
As Vladimir Chigrinov, Director of the NovSU Microplastic Research Center, explained, light has four parameters describing its polarization. By measuring them in the radiation reflected from an object, much more information about it can be obtained. For example, bacteria in water are often invisible because their optical properties match the surrounding environment, but when viewed through a polarizing filter, they become distinguishable.
To analyze micro-objects, specialists assembled a setup consisting of a laser, optical filters, and a camera with a polarizing layer. Laser light passes through the filters, reflects off the object, and the camera instantly captures all polarization parameters, providing an immediate image of the entire object.
During experiments with an improved handheld microscope, even at 100–200x magnification, polarization allowed clear visualization of inflamed and irritated pores and mole edges. Such observations are important for detecting hidden diseases. The obtained images can be saved with a single button press.
The new approach was also tested for microplastic analysis. It allowed determining particle size, polymer type, shape, and degree of material degradation. In the future, the method will help quickly identify and classify microplastic particles in water and soil, study the composition of food products, and explore new materials.