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Surface plasmon resonance biosensor with plastic-binding peptide for nanoplastic detection in environmental water
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Scientists have developed a new sensor that can quickly detect tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) in water by using a special protein that sticks to plastic like a magnet. This matters because nanoplastics are so small they're hard to find with current tools, yet they may pose health risks if they end up in our water supply — this device could help researchers and water quality experts spot contamination faster and more easily, even in real pond and aquarium water. While still an early-stage lab tool, it's a promising step toward better monitoring of plastic pollution that could eventually protect drinking water safety.
Nanoplastics are emerging environmental contaminants that pose potential risks to ecosystems and human health, yet their reliable detection remains challenging due to their small size. Here, we present a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor that employs a polystyrene-binding peptide (PS-BP) as a recognition element for polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs). This peptide-nanoplastic interface enabled selective binding, confirmed through controlled experiments and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quantitative analysis of SPR response revealed a detection limit of 1.3 μg/mL within 20 min in ion-adjusted laboratory water without labeling. Furthermore, the applicability of the biosensor was demonstrated by spiking PS-NPs into filtered aquarium and pond waters. These results highlight peptide-functionalized SPR substrates as a promising strategy for nanoplastic detection, with potential extension to broader environmental and biological sensing applications.
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This study describes a sensor technology using gold nanoparticles coated with plastic-binding peptides to detect and identify small plastic particles in the environment. Developing rapid, accurate detection methods is a critical step toward understanding how much microplastic contamination exists in water and other environments, and this approach offers a potentially faster and more sensitive alternative to conventional identification techniques.
Electrochemical capture and size-dependent sensing of polystyrene nanoplastics
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Scientists have created a fast, low-cost sensor that can detect tiny plastic particles, called nanoplastics, in drinking water, even ones too small for most current tests to catch. This matters because these ultra-tiny plastic fragments are small enough to slip into our cells and organs, and until now, checking water for them required expensive lab equipment and a lot of time. This new tool could make it much easier to routinely monitor drinking water for plastic contamination, bringing us closer to understanding and reducing our exposure to these particles.
Measurement of Low Concentration of Micro-Plastics by Detection of Bioaffinity-Induced Particle Retention Using Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors
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Researchers used surface plasmon resonance biosensors coated with biological recognition molecules to detect microplastics at low concentrations in water, demonstrating a sensitive and label-free detection approach that could be adapted for real-time environmental monitoring.
A Highly Sensitive SERS Substrate for Detection of Nanoplastics in Water
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Researchers developed a highly sensitive SERS-based substrate for detecting nanoplastic particles in water at very low concentrations. Improved detection tools for nanoplastics are essential for monitoring their presence in drinking water and understanding exposure risks to human health.
Plastic Analysis with a Plasmonic Nano-Gold Sensor Coated with Plastic-Binding Peptides
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Researchers developed a nano-gold sensor coated with plastic-binding peptides to detect common plastic polymers including polyethylene, PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene at very small scales. When tested on freshwater mussels deployed at suspected pollution sites, the sensor detected higher plastic levels near rainfall overflow and urban areas compared to treated municipal effluent sites.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.