Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

An Electrochemiluminescence-ActivatedAmphiphilicPerylene Diimide Probe: Enabling Highly Sensitive and Selective Detectionof Polypropylene Nanoplastics in the Environment

Researchers developed an amphiphilic perylene diimide probe combined with electrochemiluminescence to detect polypropylene nanoplastics in aqueous environments with high sensitivity. The probe achieved concentration-dependent signal enhancement and selective detection of PP nanoplastics even in complex environmental matrices.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

A photoluminescence strategy for detection nanoplastics in water and biological imaging in cells and plants

Researchers developed a fluorescent probe that can rapidly detect nanoplastics in water samples down to very low concentrations. The probe works by binding to nanoplastic surfaces through electrical and chemical interactions, which causes it to glow, enabling both detection and visual tracking in cells and plant tissues. This tool could help scientists better monitor nanoplastic contamination in water and understand how these tiny particles move through living organisms.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A Highly Sensitive SERS Substrate for Detection of Nanoplastics in Water

Researchers developed a highly sensitive SERS-based substrate for detecting nanoplastic particles in water at very low concentrations. Improved detection tools for nanoplastics are essential for monitoring their presence in drinking water and understanding exposure risks to human health.

2023
Article Tier 2

Tracking nanoplastics in drinking water: a new frontier with the combination of dielectrophoresis and Raman spectroscopy

Researchers developed a new combined technique using dielectrophoresis and Raman spectroscopy to detect and identify nanoplastics in drinking water. The method can trap and concentrate nanoplastic particles that are too small for conventional detection approaches, then chemically identify them. This advancement addresses a critical gap in our ability to monitor nanoscale plastic contamination in water supplies.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Illuminating the Invisible: Fluorescent Probes as Emerging Tools for Micro/Nanoplastic Identification

This review traces the development of fluorescent probes for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in environmental samples, from early hydrophobic stains to advanced molecular designs with improved selectivity. Researchers found that newer probe technologies offer significant advantages in sensitivity and throughput compared to conventional detection methods like FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The study highlights remaining challenges including standardizing protocols across different environmental matrices and improving detection of the smallest nanoplastic particles.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Size- and Concentration-Resolved Detection of PET Microplastics in Real Water via Excitation–Emission Matrix Fluorescence Quenching of Polyamide-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots

Scientists developed a new method to detect tiny plastic particles (called microplastics) in drinking water using special fluorescent dots that dim when they encounter plastic pollution. The technique works best at finding very small plastic pieces—smaller than the width of a human hair—which are hardest to detect but potentially most dangerous since they can get into our bodies more easily. This could help monitor plastic contamination in tap water and other water sources we use daily, giving us better information about our exposure to these harmful particles.

2026 Sensors
Article Tier 2

Fast and portable fluorescence lifetime analysis for early warning detection of micro- and nanoplastics in water

Researchers developed a portable fluorescence-based system that can detect micro- and nanoplastics in water without any sample preparation or labeling. The method works by measuring the natural fluorescence lifetime of plastic particles using a pulsed laser, achieving detection limits as low as 0.01 mg/mL. The study presents a promising early-warning tool for rapid, on-site monitoring of plastic contamination in water sources.

2023 Environmental Research 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Fabrication and characterization of (fluorescent) model nanoplastics for polymer specific detection

Scientists developed fluorescently labeled model nanoplastics that mimic the properties of real plastic particles, enabling polymer-specific identification at very small scales. These standardized reference particles are a key research tool because nanoplastics are otherwise extremely difficult to detect and characterize in environmental samples.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Facile detection of microplastics from a variety of environmental samples with conjugated polymer nanoparticles

Researchers developed a quick and straightforward method for detecting microplastics in environmental samples using fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles. The technique can identify microplastic particles across a range of sample types without requiring complex laboratory equipment. This approach could make microplastic monitoring more accessible and practical for routine environmental testing.

2024 Environmental Science Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Borosilicate glass nanopipettes enhanced by synergistic electrostatic interactions and steric hindrance for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of nanoplastics in environmental water samples

Researchers developed an electrochemical sensor using borosilicate glass nanopipettes enhanced with electrostatic interactions to detect nanoplastics in environmental water samples, achieving ultrasensitive trace-level detection without complex sample pretreatment.

2025 The Analyst
Article Tier 2

Aqueous Dispersions of Polypropylene: Toward Reference Materials for Characterizing Nanoplastics

Researchers developed aqueous dispersions of polypropylene nanoplastics to serve as reference materials for detection and characterization studies, addressing a critical gap in nanoplastics research where the lack of standardized reference particles has hindered method development for identifying nanoplastics in environmental and biological samples.

2022 Macromolecular Rapid Communications 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Narrow-Window Cathodic Electrochemiluminescence from Laser-Engineered Graphitic Carbon Nitride: A Next-Generation Emitter for Microplastics Biosensing

Scientists developed a new way to detect tiny plastic particles (called microplastics) in seawater that is more accurate than current methods. The new technique can find extremely small amounts of plastic pollution - as little as 0.2 billionths of a gram per milliliter of water. This matters because microplastics are everywhere in our oceans and food chain, and better detection methods help us understand and monitor this growing pollution problem that could affect human health.

2026 Analytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Electrochemical Detection of Microplastics in Water Using Ultramicroelectrodes

Researchers developed a new electrochemical method for detecting microplastics in water using ultramicroelectrodes. The technique works by monitoring changes in electrical current when microplastic particles collide with and adsorb onto the electrode surface, and the size distributions obtained closely matched independent measurements, demonstrating its potential as a practical detection tool.

2024 Chemosensors 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorogenic hyaluronan nanogels for detection of micro- and nanoplastics in water

Researchers developed fluorogenic hyaluronan nanogels that bind selectively to micro- and nanoplastic surfaces in water and become brightly emissive upon binding, enabling sensitive fluorescence-based detection of plastic particles in environmental water samples.

2021 Environmental Science Nano 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles as a Universal High-Affinity Probe for the Selective Detection of Microplastics

Researchers developed conjugated polymer nanoparticles based on fluorescent diketopyrrolopyrrole prepared by nanoprecipitation as a novel high-affinity probe for selective microplastic detection via fluorescence spectroscopy, addressing the limitations of current detection methods in sensitivity and polymer specificity.

2022 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid and reliable detection of microplastics in drinking water using fluorescence microscopy

Researchers developed a fluorescence-based method for rapid detection and quantification of microplastics in drinking water, addressing the need for faster and more practical monitoring tools. The method achieved high sensitivity and allowed polymer discrimination without requiring expensive spectroscopic instrumentation.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Narrow-WindowCathodic Electrochemiluminescence fromLaser-Engineered Graphitic Carbon Nitride: A Next-Generation Emitterfor Microplastics Biosensing

Scientists developed a new way to detect tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in seawater that is more accurate than current methods. The technique can find extremely small amounts of plastic pollution - as little as 0.2 billionths of a gram per milliliter of water. This matters because microplastics in our oceans can enter the food chain and potentially harm human health, so better detection helps us monitor and address this pollution problem.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Nanomaterial-based electrochemical chemo(bio)sensors for the detection of nanoplastic residues: trends and future prospects

This study reviews how nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors can be used to detect tiny nanoplastic residues in water. Researchers found that these sensors offer a promising, practical approach for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in aquatic ecosystems. The findings suggest that advancing these detection tools is important for implementing effective water quality control measures.

2024 RSC Sustainability 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Protein Corona-Mediated Extraction for Quantitative Analysis of Nanoplastics in Environmental Waters by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Scientists developed a new method for detecting and measuring nanoplastics in environmental water samples using a protein-based extraction technique paired with specialized mass spectrometry. The approach works by adding a protein that naturally coats nanoplastic particles, which can then be separated from the water and analyzed. Using this method, researchers detected nanoplastics in both river water and wastewater treatment plant samples, demonstrating a practical tool for monitoring these tiny but potentially harmful contaminants.

2021 Analytical Chemistry 103 citations
Article Tier 2

In Situ Fluorescent Illumination of Microplastics in Water Utilizing a Combination of Dye/Surfactant and Quenching Techniques

Researchers developed an in situ fluorescent microplastic detection method using a nonpolar dye combined with surfactant to form nanoscale dye particles that selectively adsorb onto and penetrate plastic polymer matrices in water, then quenched free dye fluorescence using aniline to enable direct visualization of stained microplastics without filtration.

2022 Polymers 19 citations