Raman spectroscopy: Recent advances in fast and reliable microplastic analysis

The presence of microplastics in the environment raises serious public concern due to their persistence in nature and potential negative effects on living organisms and human health. Particular attention is given to the smallest particles, as they have the ability to penetrate living tissues and cells, causing more harmful effects than larger particles measuring tens of microns [1-2]. To conduct a thorough risk assessment and better understand the consequences of microplastics exposure, robust analytical techniques for measuring microplastics concentration in various matrices are essential. Raman micro-spectroscopy is recognized as one of the reference techniques for microplastics analysis [3]. With optimized sample preparation, this method can detect the smalles microplastic particles (down to 0.5 micron) at traces level. When analyzing real samples, which often involve thousands of particles, it is crucial to balance precision and analysis time. This presentation will focus on the latest developments in instrumentation and analytical approaches, discussing the workflow design and data treatment strategies to maintain high precision in particle characterization while ensuring reasonable analysis time. [1] Li, Penghui, Jingfu Liu, Micro (nano) plastics in the Human Body: Sources, Occurrences, Fates, and Health Risks, Environmental Science & Technology (2024) [2] Melina Yarbakht, George Sarau, Lasse Kling, Janina Müller-Deile, Ahmed Kotb, Silke Christiansen, Mario Schiffer, Analyzing the effect of microplastic particles on human podocytes, Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, Volume 36, Issue Supplement_1 ( 2021) [3] ISO/DIS 16094-2 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559183/document