Integration of bifunctional silver dendrite membranes with surface-enhanced Raman scattering for sensitive detection of polystyrene microplastics in aquatic environments

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging environmental pollutants that are present in aquatic environments and accumulate within the food chain, posing significant threats to human health. Over 8 million tons of MPs enter these ecosystems annually. However, existing rapid qualitative and quantitative analytical methods for trace MPs are limited, hindering comprehensive research on their impact in water environments. This study presents a novel composite membrane with both adsorption and filtration functions, integrated with surface enhanced-Raman scattering technology for detecting trace MPs in water. The silver dendrites, modified with n-hexanethiol and loaded onto filter paper, facilitate enhanced enrichment and simultaneous sensitive detection of MPs. The composite membrane exhibited excellent retention rates for standard polystyrene (PS) MPs of various sizes (200, 500, and 1000 nm), achieving high enrichment efficiency. Sensitive detection was realized with a linear response in a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.5 g/L, yielding optimal enhancement factors exceeding 2.92 × 10, enabling detection at μg/L levels. Recovery rates for PS in spiked environmental water samples ranged from 96.86 % to 102.96 %. This innovative method offers a promising approach for the rapid and sensitive detection of trace MPs in aquatic environments, contributing significantly to the assessment of MPs pollution.