Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Detecting and monitoring the leaching of small (¡ 2 µm) microplastics in soils by fluorescence microscopy

Researchers developed a fluorescence microscopy method to detect and monitor the leaching of small microplastics (under 2 µm) in soils, comparing it against µ-Raman spectroscopy across matrices of varying complexity and demonstrating its applicability for tracking the smallest microplastic fraction in soil systems.

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

Detecting and monitoring the leaching of small (¡ 2 µm) microplastics in soils by fluorescence microscopy

Researchers compared fluorescence microscopy and mu-Raman spectroscopy for detecting the smallest microplastic fraction (1-2 µm) in soils of varying matrix complexity, then used fluorescent microplastics in field conditions to directly measure leaching rates of small particles through soil profiles. The study demonstrated that fluorescence microscopy enables detection and tracking of sub-2 µm microplastics in field soils, providing a practical method for studying the dynamics of the smallest, most mobile plastic fraction in terrestrial environments.

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

Identification and visualisation of microplastics by Raman mapping

Researchers demonstrated that Raman mapping can identify and visualize microplastics within soil and sand samples with minimal sample preparation. The technique successfully detected various polymer types against complex natural backgrounds without requiring dyes or destructive processing. The study presents Raman mapping as a practical, non-destructive analytical tool for studying microplastic distribution in environmental matrices like soil.

2019 Analytica Chimica Acta 233 citations
Article Tier 2

First experimental evidence of fast leaching of small (1.7 µm) microplastics added to soil in field conditions

Researchers compared µ-Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy for detecting the smallest microplastic fraction (1-2 µm) in complex soil matrices, then demonstrated using fluorescent MP tracers under field conditions that small microplastics leach rapidly through soil, providing the first direct experimental evidence of fast vertical MP migration at this size range.

2025
Article Tier 2

Quantitative and Qualitative Differences of Common Microplastic Detection Procedures: Nile Red- assisted Fluorescence Microscopy and Confocal Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers compared Nile Red-assisted fluorescence microscopy and confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy for microplastic detection, finding an overall percentage difference of 421% between methods, with better agreement at smaller particle sizes and Raman spectroscopy offering superior ability to distinguish microplastics from organic matter.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic analysis in soils: A comparative assessment

Researchers compared six different analytical methods for detecting and measuring microplastics in soil, testing them across different soil types and plastic materials. Fluorescence microscopy achieved the highest recovery rates for larger particles, while mass-based techniques like pyrolysis gas chromatography were better suited for detecting very small microplastics. The study highlights that no single method works best for all situations, and combining techniques may be necessary for accurate microplastic assessment in soil.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards quality-assured measurements of microplastics in soils using fluorescence microscopy

Researchers applied fluorescence microscopy with Nile Red staining to detect and measure microplastic particles in soil samples and validated the method across eight plastic types and a range of soil types. The method performed well when adapted to account for soil matrix effects. Validated fluorescence microscopy protocols make microplastic analysis in agricultural and environmental soils more accessible and standardized.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards quality-assured measurements of microplastics in soil using fluorescence microscopy

Researchers tested a fluorescence microscopy method with Nile Red staining for detecting microplastics in different soil types, achieving 80-90% recovery rates for particles larger than 500 micrometers. However, recovery dropped significantly for smaller particles and biodegradable plastics, particularly in clayey soils. The study developed a semi-automated image analysis pipeline and provides quality assurance guidelines for using fluorescence microscopy as a high-throughput microplastic detection method in soil research.

2025 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic identification using Raman microsocpy

Researchers developed and implemented a Raman spectroscopy system for rapid detection and identification of microplastic particles on substrates. The system enables efficient chemical characterization of microplastics found across diverse environmental matrices including ocean, lakes, soil, beach sediment, and human blood.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Non-invasive detection and visualization of microplastic particles, films and fibers in sandy soils

Researchers applied non-invasive imaging tools to directly detect and visualize microplastic particles, films, and fibers in sandy soils in situ, addressing the critical limitation of conventional methods that destroy soil structure and lose spatial distribution information during sample processing.

2024
Article Tier 2

Optimization of sample preparation, fluorescence- and Raman techniques for environmental microplastics

Researchers optimized methods for preparing and analyzing environmental microplastic samples using fluorescence staining with Nile Red dye and Raman spectroscopy. The study found that while fluorescence can broadly categorize plastics as polar or non-polar, Raman spectroscopy with a deep-UV laser was needed to reliably identify all polymer types, including those pigmented with carbon black.

2024 Spectrochimica Acta Part A Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid detection and identification of microplastics from nonchemically treated soil with CARS microspectroscopy

This study developed a coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microspectroscopy method for rapid in situ detection and identification of microplastics in soil without requiring chemical digestion pretreatment. The approach preserves particle integrity and dramatically reduces analysis time compared to conventional methods.

2023 Environmental Pollution 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Particle size-dependent quantitative and qualitative differences of common microplastic detection procedures: Nile Red-assisted fluorescence microscopy and confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy

Researchers compared confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy and Nile Red-assisted fluorescence microscopy for detecting microplastics across different size classes. Both methods delivered better agreement for larger particles (>100 µm), with particle size significantly influencing the percentage differences between methods, underscoring the need for size-specific method validation.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soil: Detection Techniques, Challenges, Limitation and Future Research Direction - a Review

Researchers review the current methods for detecting microplastics in agricultural soil, comparing techniques like spectroscopy and microscopy while highlighting the limitations of each approach, including false negatives and size-detection constraints. Developing faster, more accurate detection tools is critical because microplastics are accumulating in farmland worldwide and their full impact on soil health and food safety remains poorly understood.

2024 Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Applications of Raman spectroscopy for microplastic detection and characterization: a comprehensive spectral reference

This review evaluates Raman spectroscopy as a tool for detecting and identifying microplastics across water, soil, air, and biological samples. The study consolidates reference spectra for common plastic polymers and discusses recent innovations like surface-enhanced Raman techniques that improve detection sensitivity, while also addressing challenges like fluorescence interference in complex samples.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation of Spherical Microplastics in Earthworms Tissues-Mapping Using Raman Microscopy

Researchers used Raman microscopy mapping to investigate the accumulation and spatial distribution of spherical low-density polyethylene microplastic particles (38-63 micrometers) with fluorescent properties in the muscle tissues of earthworms, demonstrating the capacity of these soil-dwelling organisms to uptake and retain microplastics in their tissues.

2024 Applied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Localisation and identification of polystyrene particles in tissue sections using Raman spectroscopic imaging

Researchers developed a Raman spectroscopic imaging method to localize and identify polystyrene microplastic particles directly within tissue sections, enabling in-situ detection without fluorescent labeling and making environmental sample analysis feasible.

2023 NanoImpact 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of small-sized microplastics in coastal sediments detected by multipoint confocal micro-Raman spectrum scanning

Researchers developed a new micro-Raman spectrum scanning method to detect small-sized microplastics in coastal sediments, revealing that particles under 50 micrometers are the most prevalent and commonly overlooked by standard techniques.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Research on Identification and Classification Methods for Soil Microplastics in Hyperspectral Detection

Hyperspectral imaging was tested as a rapid, large-area detection method for identifying and classifying microplastics in soil, offering an alternative to time-consuming particle-by-particle Raman or FTIR spectroscopy. The approach could allow researchers to map microplastic distribution across soil samples far more efficiently. Faster detection technology is important for expanding the geographic scope of soil microplastic monitoring and for assessing contamination in agricultural land.

2024 Scientific Journal of Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A “six-point S-shaped” sampling strategy based on micro-Raman spectroscopy enabling the rapid and accurate detection of small-sized microplastics in soil

A new six-point S-shaped sampling strategy combined with micro-Raman spectroscopy was developed to more accurately detect and quantify microplastics in environmental samples. The approach improves spatial coverage and reduces sampling bias, making microplastic monitoring more reliable and reproducible.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of different plastic types and natural materials from terrestrial environments using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Researchers tested a microscopy technique called fluorescence lifetime imaging (FD-FLIM) to quickly identify and distinguish microplastics from natural materials like soil particles, finding that a 445 nm light excitation was best for telling plastic types apart — potentially offering a faster alternative to slow, labor-intensive microplastic analysis methods.

2024 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soil: a comprehensive review of analytical techniques

This comprehensive review evaluates the various analytical techniques used to identify and quantify microplastics in soil, including sieving, density separation, chemical digestion, and spectroscopic methods like FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The authors found significant inconsistencies across studies in how soil microplastics are measured, making it difficult to compare results between different research groups. The review calls for standardized protocols to improve the reliability of soil microplastic assessments.

2025 Frontiers in Soil Science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on Rapid Recognition of Marine Microplastics Based on Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers developed a rapid identification system for marine microplastics using Raman spectroscopy, enabling quick determination of plastic type and size. Fast, accurate identification tools are critical for monitoring the growing problem of microplastic pollution in ocean environments.

2021 Knowledge Repository of Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, CAS (Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research) 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Microplastics Using a Custom Built Micro-Raman Spectrometer

Researchers built a custom micro-Raman spectrometer and demonstrated its use for identifying microplastic polymer types in environmental samples, achieving sensitive and specific polymer identification at particle sizes down to a few micrometers.

2023 Journal of Physics Conference Series 18 citations