Nanodevice Approaches for Detecting Micro- and Nanoplastics in Complex Matrices

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are increasingly recognized as pervasive environmental contaminants with profound implications for ecosystems and human health. Their small size, compositional diversity, and occurrence across complex matrices-including water, soil, food, and biological samples-pose substantial analytical challenges. Conventional techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy, chromatographic analysis, and electron microscopy have yielded critical insights into MNP composition, morphology, and distribution; however, these methods often face limitations in sensitivity, throughput, and adaptability to real-world samples. Recent advances in nanotechnology have catalyzed the emergence of nanodevices-encompassing nanosensors, nanopore systems, integrated lab-on-a-chip platforms and nanostructured capture materials-that promise enhanced sensitivity, specificity, and the capacity for real-time, in situ detection. These innovations not only facilitate high-throughput analysis but also provide novel opportunities for integrated characterization of MNPs across diverse matrices. This review synthesizes the current state of nanodevice-based MNP detection, critically examining their principles, performance, and limitations relative to conventional approaches, and outlining the key needs for standardization, matrix-specific adaptation, and regulatory harmonization.