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Integrated laser ablation and computed tomography
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Scientists developed a new way to find and map tiny plastic particles (microplastics) hiding inside body tissue by combining two techniques: a 3D imaging scan (like a CT scan) and a chemical detection method that spots trace metals found in common plastics like PET (the material in water bottles). This matters because current methods struggle to reliably detect microplastics in our organs, and this proof-of-concept approach—tested in rat tissue—could eventually help researchers better understand how much plastic accumulates in our bodies and where it ends up, an important step toward figuring out what that means for our health.
Detecting and characterizing microplastics within biological tissues remains analytically challenging due to their small size, complex composition, and the heterogeneous nature of biological matrices. Existing methods often rely on destructive sample preparation or only provide partial information, highlighting the need for advanced techniques that can simultaneously resolve both the structural and chemical features of microplastics in situ. To address this gap, we introduce a multimodal analytical approach that integrates micro-computed tomography (μCT), which enables non-invasive volumetric imaging of the tissue with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to detect microplastics based on their metal markers. Rat tissue was spiked with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics, and results showed that μCT imaging alone was insufficient for definitively determining microplastics. However, PET contained several elements, such as antimony and cobalt, and it was possible to detect PET microplastics using LA-ICP-MS based on those metal markers. Furthermore, the developed workflow combining μCT and LA-ICP-MS enabled volumetric segmentation of microplastic reconstruction based on their 3D distribution and evaluation of their size distribution. The results demonstrate that integrating LA-ICP-MS spatial element mapping of PET metal markers facilitates precise validation and segmentation of microplastic locations within tissue on μCT. The proposed protocol was evaluated against a reference size distribution method, addressing the associated detection limitations. Overall, this dual-modality approach provides a proof of concept for microplastic detection in biological tissues by combining both structural and chemical analyses.
More Papers Like This
Integrated laser ablation and computed tomography: detecting the chemical footprint of microplastics and reconstructing 3D biological tissues
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Researchers combined micro-computed tomography with laser ablation ICP-MS to detect PET microplastics in rat tissue by mapping antimony and cobalt metal markers, enabling three-dimensional volumetric reconstruction of microplastic locations in situ — a dual-modality approach that overcomes the inability of CT imaging alone to definitively identify plastic particles.
Is LA-ICP-MS the next frontier in monitoring and imaging microplastics in biological tissues?
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This paper evaluated whether laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) could become a leading technique for detecting and imaging microplastics within biological tissues. If validated, this approach could allow researchers to precisely map where plastic particles accumulate in organs, greatly improving understanding of how microplastics affect living organisms including humans.
Is LA-ICP-MS the next frontier in monitoring and imaging microplastics in biological tissues?
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This paper evaluated whether laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) could become a leading technique for detecting and imaging microplastics within biological tissues. If validated, this approach could allow researchers to precisely map where plastic particles accumulate in organs, greatly improving understanding of how microplastics affect living organisms including humans.
Micro-CT als innovatieve visualisatietechniek van microplastics in mariene organismen
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Scientists are testing a new scanning technology called micro-CT (similar to a detailed 3D X-ray) to spot tiny plastic particles hiding inside the bodies of sea creatures like fish and shellfish. This matters because these same seafood species end up on our dinner plates, so better detection tools could help researchers understand how much microplastic is actually getting into the food we eat, and eventually into us.
Raw data for article Integrated laser ablation and computed tomography: foodprint chemical detection of microplastic and 3D reconstruction of biological tissues
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This entry is a raw dataset (not a research paper) supporting a publication on using laser ablation ICP-MS and computed tomography to detect microplastics in biological tissues.
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