The development and application of advanced analytical methods in microplastics contamination detection: A critical review

Microplastics have gradually become emerging environmental contaminants for their extensive distribution, small particle size, and harmful effects on organisms. Therefore, finding accurate, efficient, and rapid analytical methods for detecting microplastics pollution has become an urgent problem. We reviewed the derivation, transport, and classification of microplastics and then highlighted the harmfulness of microplastics which would bring microplastics pollution to the environment and potential damage to organisms. Further, various analytical methods were classified into the thermal analytical method, spectral analytical approach, and other analytical methods based on detection principles. In addition, the application of each analytical method in sea and soil was concluded in detail, and the promising development prospect of each analytical method was discussed. In the end, the chemical analytical method was proposed to explore further in the direction of no sample preparation, nondestructive analysis, low detection limit and it is crucial to establish a unified detection and identification method for microplastics in different environments.