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Mid infrared spectroscopy applications using quantum cascade lasers for the identification of microplastic contaminants in aqueous solution
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Researchers reviewed the application of quantum cascade laser-based mid-infrared spectroscopy for identifying and quantifying microplastic contaminants in aqueous solution, examining how standalone compact laser sources, packaged liquid-phase spectrometers, and mid-IR microscopes can detect and classify individual plastic particles by their vibrational spectral signatures.
Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) provide a high-power, tunable source of coherent light at wavelengths from 3-12 microns. Light in this band excites vibrational modes of many molecules of interest across widely diverse fields of interest. Spectroscopic instruments using QCLs have the capability to make breakthrough observations across multiple disciplines. We discuss the technical capability of these laser sources as well as their instrumentalized imaging and liquid-phase detection systems. We review the recent applications of QCL-based spectroscopy using standalone compact laser sources, packaged liquid-phase spectrometers, and mid-IR microscopes. In particular, we focus on a recent application of QCL-based IR microscopes to quantify microplastics in water and identify the plastic type of each particle using hyperspectral imaging. We show that QCL-based IR hyperspectral imaging can detect particles <20 um in diameter and can differentiate between different plastic materials with high accuracy.
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Organic polymers classification using QCL spectroscopy
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Researchers used quantum cascade laser mid-infrared spectroscopy to test a methodology for classifying different consumer plastics by polymer type, evaluating its potential for microplastic identification in environmental samples. They demonstrated that QCL spectroscopy can distinguish between common polymer types, suggesting it as a promising analytical tool for polymer identification. The study presents preliminary results toward developing a new spectroscopic approach for environmental microplastic characterization.
Rapid Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in the Environment by Quantum Cascade Laser-Based Hyperspectral Infrared Chemical Imaging
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Quantum cascade laser infrared microscopy was evaluated as a rapid method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples. The technique showed potential for faster polymer identification compared to conventional FTIR mapping, offering advantages for high-throughput microplastic monitoring.
A Critical Review of Application of Quantum Cascade Laser Infrared Spectroscopy and Imaging in Microplastic Research
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Researchers reviewed how quantum cascade laser infrared spectroscopy and imaging has advanced microplastic analysis, offering rapid, broad-spectrum polymer identification across diverse sample matrices, while highlighting key technical challenges around substrate selection, imaging frequency choice, and the need for standardized protocols to ensure reliable results.
Reviewing the fundamentals and best practices to characterize microplastics using state–of–the-art quantum-cascade laser reflectance-absorbance spectroscopy
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Researchers reviewed best practices for using quantum cascade laser infrared imaging (a high-speed scanning technology) to reliably identify microplastic particles, addressing technical pitfalls like particle-size effects on spectral readings. Standardizing this method is important for generating consistent, comparable data as governments push for official microplastic monitoring programs.
MicroplasticMass Estimation Using Two-DimensionalChemical Images from Quantum-Cascade Laser-Based Infrared Spectrometers
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Researchers developed a method to estimate microplastic particle mass using two-dimensional chemical images from quantum cascade laser-based infrared microscopy, addressing the inability of standard spectroscopic imaging to provide particle mass data critical for toxicological assessment.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.