Towards a Global Standard for Field-Based Microplastic and Nanoplastic Detection: Conceptual Framework, Version 1

Environmental monitoring of microplastics and nanoplastics is constrained by centralized laboratory workflows, low-frequency sampling, and a lack of standardized field protocols, limiting the generation of comparable data across regions. This work presents a Conceptual Framework Version 1 toward a global standard for field-based detection, introducing a signal-based, non-enumerative approach emphasizing simplicity, direct sample analysis, geometry-aware measurement, context-based calibration, and standardized data structures. The framework is sensor-agnostic, supporting imaging and other signal-based acquisition modalities while enabling consistent interpretation across heterogeneous environments. Microplastics and nanoplastics are presented as a technically challenging initial use case, providing a foundation for scalable, distributed sensing systems and future standardization efforts.