We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The Development and Prospect of Microplastic Detection and Analysis Technology
Summary
This review paper takes stock of the tools scientists use to detect microplastics—tiny plastic particles that have been found in our water, food, and even our bodies—and finds that no single method is good enough yet to reliably catch the smallest, most concerning particles (nanoplastics). This matters because better detection technology, especially tools combining AI with chemical analysis, is a necessary first step before we can accurately understand how much plastic we're actually exposed to and what it might mean for our health.
During recent years, nano-detection technology and machine learning-assisted identification methods have developed rapidly, providing new ideas for the precision, standardization and high-throughput quantification of microplastis detection. This article systematically reviews from early detection methods such as sieving and optical microscopy, to mainstream chemical identification techniques such as Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), and then to atomic force microscopy-infrared (AFM-IR), tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), and machine learning. The evolution process and technical advantages and disadvantages of cutting-edge methods such as deep learning-assisted automatic recognition are analyzed, with a focus on core challenges such as matrix interference in complex environments, bottlenecks in nanoplastic detection, and the lack of method standardization. Research shows that a single technology is difficult to meet the comprehensive demands of high- throughput, nanoscale, and on-site rapid detection, while the integration of multimodal technologies and artificial intelligence-driven intelligent analysis will become the breakthrough direction. It is necessary to accelerate the establishment of a globally shared spectral database, unified operation norms, and the research and development of low-cost portable devices, in order to achieve efficient, accurate and comparable monitoring of microplastics in environmental samples, and provide solid technical support for the prevention.