Photothermal Convection Driven Highly Sensitive in Situ Detection of Nanoplastics in Water Using Optical Fiber Sers Probe

Photothermal convection-driven highly sensitive in situ detection of nanoplastics in water using an optical fiber SERS probe

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Researchers developed an optical fiber probe coated with gold nanorod clusters that uses laser-induced heat to drive nanoplastics toward the sensor surface, enabling sensitive in-water detection of polystyrene nanoplastics down to 0.32 µg/mL using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy without extracting the sample.

Solar-Driven Plasmonic Nanoreactors for In-situ Monitoring of Microplastics in Aquatic Environments

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Researchers developed a solar-powered gold-silver plasmonic nanoreactor that simultaneously detects microplastics (polystyrene and PET) at parts-per-billion levels using SERS and degrades them through photocatalytic reactions, achieving a detection limit of ~85 ppb with under 7% variability. This dual-function approach offers a promising eco-friendly platform for real-time monitoring and remediation of microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

Capturing, enriching and detecting nanoplastics in water based on optical manipulation, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and microfluidics

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Scientists built an optical manipulation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering system using gold nanoparticle stacks to simultaneously capture, enrich, and detect nanoplastics in natural water at concentrations as low as 150 ng/L for polystyrene, successfully quantifying nanoplastics across river, mariculture, and beach water samples. The technique fills a critical measurement gap for nanoplastics, enabling reliable concentration monitoring in environments where these particles are otherwise nearly impossible to detect and quantify.

Sensitive Nanoplastics Detection by Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy

Nanotechnology-enabled analytical tools for Microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic ecosystems

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Tiny plastic particles in our water, some smaller than a virus, have been hard to detect with older lab tools, making it tough to know how much is really out there or how it might affect us. This review rounds up new nanotech-based detection methods (using gold nanoparticles, light-scattering sensors, and AI) that can spot these nanoplastics at incredibly low levels, faster and with less environmental impact than traditional testing. Better detection tools like these are a key first step toward understanding plastic pollution's health risks and building policies to protect our water supplies.