Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Direct Measurement of Microplastics by Carbon Detection via Single Particle ICP-TOFMS in Complex Aqueous Suspensions

Researchers developed a single particle ICP-TOFMS method for directly measuring microplastics in complex aqueous suspensions by detecting carbon, successfully differentiating microplastic carbon from natural particles and dissolved organic carbon in environmental samples.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 42 citations
Article Tier 2

A new elemental analytical approach for microplastic sum parameter analysis—ETV/ICP-MS with CO2

Researchers developed a novel electrothermal vaporization (ETV) coupled to ICP-MS method for detecting microplastics as a sum parameter using carbon-13 signals, calibrated against carbon dioxide gas. The technique achieved size-independent detection across polymer types with a limit of detection equivalent to a single ~70 µm polyethylene sphere, offering a fast, traceable analytical tool for complex environmental samples.

2025 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Novel calibration approach for particle size analysis of microplastics by laser ablation single particle-ICP-MS

Researchers developed a new calibration method for sizing microplastic particles using laser ablation coupled with mass spectrometry, eliminating the need for costly certified reference materials. Using a polystyrene thin film as the calibration standard, they achieved accurate sizing of particles as small as 2 micrometers across multiple polymer types. The approach demonstrated broad applicability and high transport efficiency, suggesting it could become a universal tool for microplastic particle analysis.

2025 Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterisation of microplastics and unicellular algae in seawater by targeting carbon via single particle and single cell ICP-MS

Researchers used single particle and single cell ICP-MS to characterize microplastics and microalgae simultaneously in seawater by targeting carbon signals, demonstrating the technique as a rapid and sensitive tool for distinguishing plastic particles from biological material.

2021 Analytica Chimica Acta 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics in consumer products by single particle-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using the carbon-13 isotope

Researchers developed a method using single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) with carbon-13 isotope detection to analyze micro- and nanoplastics in consumer products, demonstrating that this technique can characterize particle size distributions and concentrations in complex matrices previously inaccessible to inorganic nanoparticle methods.

2020 Talanta 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of carbon in microplastics and single cells by total consumption microdroplet ICP-TOFMS

This study developed a total consumption microdroplet ICP-TOFMS method to determine carbon content in microplastics and single cells, overcoming size limitations of conventional nebulization methods. The approach enables more accurate elemental characterization of individual microplastic particles.

2023 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Single-Particle ICP-TOFMS with Online Microdroplet Calibration: A Versatile Approach for Accurate Quantification of Nanoparticles, Submicron Particles, and Microplastics in Seawater

Online microdroplet calibration was used with single-particle ICP-TOFMS to overcome matrix effects and achieve accurate multi-element quantification in nanoparticle and microparticle samples, demonstrating a versatile approach for environmental and industrial nanoparticle analysis.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Extending theLinear Dynamic Range of Single ParticleICP-MS for the Quantification of Microplastics

Researchers extended the linear dynamic range of single-particle ICP-MS for microplastic quantification to enable detection across a wider concentration range with high throughput. The method improvements allow more accurate characterisation of MP particle number and size distributions in environmental and biological samples.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

CarboxylatedPolystyrene Particles for Plastic Standardsin Laser Ablation ICP–MS Trace Elements Analysis: AnalyticalAspects and Environmental Relevance

Researchers developed a novel calibration method using carboxylated polystyrene nanoparticles as plastic standards for laser ablation ICP-MS analysis of trace metals in polymers, addressing the lack of suitable reference materials for direct solid-state analysis of microplastics.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Development of microdroplet calibration for the accurate quantification of particles by single-particle ICP-TOFMS

Researchers developed and validated a microdroplet calibration technique for single-particle ICP-TOFMS to improve accuracy and throughput in multi-elemental quantification of nanoparticles and microparticles in complex sample matrices, achieving single-digit attogram detection limits for many elements.

2024
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic Labelling with Metal Probes: Analytical Strategies for Their Sensitive Detection and Quantification by ICP Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed metal probe labelling strategies to enable sensitive detection and quantification of nanoplastics by ICP mass spectrometry, overcoming the challenge that nanoplastics are too small and carbon-rich for conventional analytical techniques to distinguish.

2021 Molecules 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Single particle ICP-TOFMS for the detection of micro-scale polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride from artificially aged bulk plastic

Researchers developed a new analytical method using single-particle mass spectrometry (SP ICP-TOFMS) to simultaneously detect polystyrene and PVC microplastics based on their carbon and chlorine content. The method was tested on artificially aged plastic samples, demonstrating it can distinguish between different polymer types at the individual particle level. Improving detection methods like this is essential for accurately tracking microplastics in complex environmental samples where multiple polymer types coexist.

2025 Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Extending the Linear Dynamic Range of Single Particle ICP-MS for the Quantification of Microplastics

Researchers developed an improved method using single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to detect and measure microplastics across a wider size range than previously possible. By extending the linear dynamic range of the technique, they could more accurately size and count larger microplastic particles. The advancement addresses a key limitation in current microplastic analytical methods and could improve environmental monitoring.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Catching particles by atomic spectrometry: Benefits and limitations of single particle - inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

This review evaluates single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) as an analytical technique, highlighting its expanding capabilities for detecting, sizing, and quantifying metal-based nanoparticles and emerging applications in microplastic and carbon-based particle analysis.

2022 Spectrochimica Acta Part B Atomic Spectroscopy 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics prepared with uniformly distributed metal-tags: a novel approach to quantify size distribution and particle number concentration of polydisperse nanoplastics by single particle ICP-MS

Researchers developed a new method for creating nanoplastic test particles with embedded metal tags, allowing scientists to precisely measure the size and number of nanoplastics using single-particle mass spectrometry. The particles have realistic irregular shapes and varied sizes, unlike the uniform spheres typically used in lab studies. This tool will help researchers more accurately study how nanoplastics behave in environmental and health experiments.

2023 Environmental Science Nano 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Laser Ablation for Nondestructive Sampling of Microplastics in Single-Particle ICP-Mass Spectrometry

This study characterized laser ablation as a sampling method for introducing microplastic particles into an ICP-mass spectrometer for single-event carbon detection, enabling nondestructive analysis of microplastics of different types and sizes. The approach preserves particle integrity while providing elemental characterization.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 18 citations
Article Tier 2

MultimethodPlatform Based on Dynamic Image Analysisand spICP-MS for Number-Based Quantification of Microplastics

Researchers developed and validated a multimethod platform combining dynamic image analysis (DIA) and single-particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS) for reliably quantifying the number concentration of small microplastics (1-10 µm), identifying critical instrument parameters that affect measurement accuracy for each technique.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Multimethod Platform Based on Dynamic Image Analysis and spICP-MS for Number-Based Quantification of Microplastics

Researchers developed and validated a multimethod analytical platform combining dynamic image analysis and single-particle ICP-MS to reliably quantify the number concentration of small microplastics (1-10 µm), a size range that has been difficult to measure accurately with existing methods.

2025 Analytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Complementary analysis of pristine, UV-aged and extracted microplastics using single particle ICP-MS and OF2i-Raman spectroscopy

Researchers evaluated two emerging techniques for analyzing individual microplastic particles: single particle ICP-MS for measuring carbon mass per particle, and a novel optofluidic force induction Raman spectroscopy method for identifying polymer type. When applied together to study UV degradation of nylon-6 and polyethylene, the techniques provided complementary information linking physical size changes to molecular structural alterations. The study demonstrates how combining these methods can improve detection and characterization of environmentally aged microplastics.

2026 Talanta
Article Tier 2

Carboxylated Polystyrene Particles for Plastic Standards in Laser Ablation ICP–MS Trace Elements Analysis: Analytical Aspects and Environmental Relevance

Carboxylated polystyrene particles were evaluated as reference standards for microplastic analysis, assessing their stability and suitability for calibrating detection methods. Reliable standards are critical for ensuring that microplastic measurements across different labs and studies are accurate and comparable.

2025 ACS Measurement Science Au 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A rapid method to quantify sub-micrometer polystyrene particles in aqueous model systems by TOC analysis

Researchers developed a fast and inexpensive method to measure the concentration of tiny polystyrene microplastic particles (0.5–6 microns) in water using a standard carbon analyzer, finding that adding metal hydroxides to samples significantly improved detection accuracy. The technique offers labs a practical alternative to expensive equipment for quantifying microplastics in controlled experiments.

2024 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitation of polystyrene by pyrolysis-GC-MS: The impact of polymer standards on micro and nanoplastic analysis

Researchers evaluated how the choice of polystyrene reference standard affects the accuracy of a key method (Pyrolysis-GC-MS) used to detect and measure microplastics and nanoplastics, finding that different standards with varying molecular structures produce substantially different results for the same sample. This highlights an urgent need for standardized reference materials to make microplastic measurement methods more reliable and comparable across labs.

2024 Polymer Testing 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Use of metal-tagged environmentally representative micro- and nanoplastic particles to investigate transport and retention through porous media using single particle ICP-MS

Metal-tagged micro- and nanoplastic particles were used with single-particle ICP-MS to study transport and retention of plastic particles through saturated porous media, providing a sensitive method for tracking environmentally representative particles in soil.

2024 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The use of reference material in microplastic research: general aspects

This paper discussed general considerations for using certified reference materials in microplastic research, arguing that standardized reference materials are essential for ensuring that measurements are reproducible and comparable across different laboratories and studies. The lack of such standards remains a major limitation in the field.

2017