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SERS-based AgNWs-AuNRs@Ag composite substrate SERS substrate chips for rapid and sensitive simultaneous detection of microplastics
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Scientists have developed a new sensor chip that can quickly and precisely detect tiny plastic particles (microplastics) even at extremely low concentrations, using a special light-based technology. This matters because microplastics are increasingly found in our environment, food, and water, and can carry harmful chemicals, so having a fast, sensitive way to spot them could help researchers and regulators better track and manage this potential health risk.
Microplastics are defined as plastic particles with a size < 5 mm. Due to their small size, difficulty in degradation, and large specific surface area, microplastics are capable of persisting in the environment for extended periods and of adsorbing and releasing toxic substances. Consequently, there is a pressing need for an accurate, rapid, and sensitive method for detecting microplastics. We have established a SERS-based strategy for microplastic detection via co-assembly of dual substrates, AgNWs and AuNRs@Ag, onto a hydrophilic glass sheet to prepare an AgNWs-AuNRs@Ag composite substrate SERS substrate chips. Mutual assembly of the dual substrates gives rise to nest-like morphology, which contributes to increasing the interfacial contact area between microplastics and substrates, thereby improving sensitivity and stability. The detection of the two microplastics, PS and PE, demonstrated good linearity, with ranges of 1 × 10 -3 g/mL to 1 × 10 -8 g/mL and 1 × 10 -3 g/mL to 5 × 10 -9 g/mL, respectively. The simultaneous detection of two batches of PS and PE with different concentrations was achieved with a CV < 15% and an MRE < 10%, exhibiting good precision and accuracy. The method provides a new technical reference for the detection of microplastics.
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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.
Ag-iPyramidSERS Enables Single-Particle Detectionof Sub-200 nm Nanoplastics in Real Samples
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Scientists have developed a new silver-coated sensor that can detect and identify individual plastic particles smaller than 200 nanometers, far tinier than a human hair, in real-world samples like rainwater and food containers. This matters because these ultra-tiny nanoplastics are small enough to potentially slip past the body's natural defenses and enter cells, but until now they've been extremely hard to spot and measure accurately. This new tool could help researchers better track exactly how much of this smallest, most concerning plastic pollution is in our environment and food supply.
NiO/AgNPs nanowell enhanced SERS sensor for efficient detection of micro/nanoplastics in beverages
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Researchers developed a new sensor using nickel oxide and silver nanoparticles that can detect tiny micro and nanoplastics in beverages at very low concentrations. The sensor uses a technique called SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) to identify plastic particles that are too small for conventional methods to catch. This tool could help monitor microplastic contamination in drinks, providing better data about how much plastic people are consuming.
Advanced microplastic monitoring using Raman spectroscopy with a combination of nanostructure-based substrates
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Researchers reviewed advances in Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) — a technique that amplifies light signals using metallic nanostructures — for detecting micro- and nanoplastics at trace concentrations in environmental samples, highlighting new plasmonic materials, 3D substrates, and microfluidic chip platforms that enable on-site monitoring.
Rational design of AuNPs-decorated MOFs/Cu2O: p-n heterojunction and plasmonic synergy for enhanced SERS detection of microplastics
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Scientists have developed a new sensor technology that can quickly detect tiny plastic particles—down to sizes smaller than a human cell—in everyday drinks and water sources like beer, tea, river water, and tap water. The device combines special materials that trap and "light up" microplastics, making them easier to spot with a portable scanner, which could help track this pollutant in what we eat and drink far faster than current lab methods. While this study focused on building a better detection tool rather than testing health effects, more reliable ways to find microplastics in our food and water are an important step toward understanding their potential risks to human health.
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