Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

X-ray computed tomography: A novel non-invasive approach for the detection of microplastics in sediments?

Researchers tested whether X-ray computed tomography (CT scanning) can non-invasively detect microplastics in river sediment cores, finding it works well for particles 4 mm or larger but cannot resolve smaller microplastics below 125 μm due to resolution limits. Importantly, CT scanning also revealed sediment layering and structural features that affect where microplastics accumulate — information that is lost when sediment cores are physically extracted and processed by conventional methods. This non-destructive approach could improve how scientists study microplastic distribution in sediments.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Shape analysis of microplastic fragments: A computed microtomography study

Researchers applied X-ray microtomography (microCT) to characterize the 3D morphology of five secondary PET microplastic fragments approximately 2 mm in diameter, achieving a voxel size of 6.0 micrometers through optimized scanning and image processing, providing more detailed shape characterization of irregular fragments than conventional 2D microscopy allows.

2025 Applied Radiation and Isotopes
Article Tier 2

Can CT Imaging be Used to Investigate Microplastics in Sediments?

Researchers evaluated X-ray computed tomography (CT) as a non-destructive method for detecting microplastics in river sediment cores, testing the technique on layered, randomly spiked, and real environmental samples from the Thames estuary to assess its utility as an in-situ identification tool.

2024
Article Tier 2

Nondestructive 3D Imaging and Quantification of Hydrated Biofilm-Sediment Aggregates Using X-ray Microcomputed Tomography

X-ray micro-computed tomography was used to image biofilm-sediment aggregates in 3D without drying them out, preserving their natural structure for analysis. This imaging technique could help scientists better understand how microplastics become embedded in marine sediment biofilms.

2018 Environmental Science & Technology 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Detectability Investigation in Soils Using X‐Ray Microtomography

Researchers evaluated X-ray microtomography (microCT) for non-destructive 3D detection of microplastic fragments (PET, PEHD, PS, PP) in soils, achieving strong agreement between microCT and manual measurements (R² = 0.94-0.96) and demonstrating the method's capacity to differentiate polymer types via gray-level intensity differences.

2025 X-Ray Spectrometry
Article Tier 2

Enhancing microplastic detection in biological tissue with x-ray computed tomography

This study tested X-ray computed tomography (CT scanning) as a way to detect microplastics in biological tissue, exploring whether this non-destructive imaging approach could improve on current methods that require chemically processing samples. A non-destructive technique would allow scientists to study microplastic distribution in tissues without destroying the sample, potentially enabling more detailed and repeatable analyses.

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

Enhancing microplastic detection in biological tissue with x-ray computed tomography

This study tested X-ray computed tomography (CT scanning) as a way to detect microplastics in biological tissue, exploring whether this non-destructive imaging approach could improve on current methods that require chemically processing samples. A non-destructive technique would allow scientists to study microplastic distribution in tissues without destroying the sample, potentially enabling more detailed and repeatable analyses.

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

Non-invasive detection and localization of microplastic particles in a sandy sediment by complementary neutron and X-ray tomography

Researchers used neutron and X-ray tomography — scanning technologies that see inside materials without cutting them open — to non-destructively detect and map microplastic particles inside sandy sediment samples, opening new possibilities for studying how microplastics move and accumulate in natural environments.

2021 Journal of Soils and Sediments 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating factors influencing microplastic mobility in sediments through visualization and experiments

Researchers used micro-CT imaging to visualize three-dimensional transport pathways of microplastics through gravel and sand sediments relevant to riverbank filtration, finding that smaller sediment pore sizes restrict microplastic mobility and that particle properties such as shape, size, and polymer density influence infiltration depth.

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

Evaluating factors influencing microplastic mobility in sediments through visualization and experiments

Researchers used micro-CT imaging to visualize three-dimensional transport pathways of microplastics through gravel and sand sediments relevant to riverbank filtration, finding that smaller sediment pore sizes restrict microplastic mobility and that particle properties such as shape, size, and polymer density influence infiltration depth.

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

Non-invasive 3D analysis of microplastic particles in sandy soil — Exploring feasible options and capabilities

This study explored the feasibility of non-invasive 3D X-ray computed tomography for analyzing microplastic particles in intact sandy soil samples, finding that while the technique can locate particles, distinguishing MP from soil minerals requires further methodological development.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing microplastic detection in zebrafish with micro computed tomography: A novel approach to revealing microplastic distribution in organisms

Researchers tested a new approach using X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) to detect and map microplastics inside zebrafish in three dimensions. The non-destructive imaging technique successfully identified polyethylene particles throughout the gut and revealed how their distribution changed over time. This method offers a promising alternative to traditional destructive techniques for studying how microplastics move through living organisms.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The marine nano- and microplastics characterisation by SEM-EDX: The potential of the method in comparison with various physical and chemical approaches

Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) was evaluated as a method for characterizing marine micro- and nanoplastics, and compared with optical, spectroscopic, and chemical approaches. The study finds that SEM-EDX offers complementary information on particle morphology and surface chemistry that aids in identifying plastic particles at small sizes.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 236 citations
Article Tier 2

An analytical computed microtomography methodology for identification of microplastic fragments in aqueous media

A computed microtomography methodology was developed to quantify microplastic fragments in aqueous media, using phantoms with fragments of 0.18-0.71 mm and achieving satisfactory quantitative results with relative errors below 20%, providing a new non-invasive imaging approach for microplastic analysis.

2023 X-Ray Spectrometry 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Synchrotron-based Spectromicroscopy for Microplastic Detection and Characterization

Researchers reviewed how synchrotron-based imaging techniques — which use powerful X-ray beams to see extremely fine details — can detect and chemically identify micro- and nanoplastics that conventional methods miss, including plastics absorbed into biological tissues. These high-resolution tools are still in early stages but show strong potential for mapping microplastic contamination at the nanoscale.

2025 Economic and Environmental Geology
Article Tier 2

Adding depth to microplastics for particle characterization and assessing settling behavior

Researchers developed a method for 3D characterization of microplastic particles to obtain volume and shape data beyond conventional 2D image analysis, improving accuracy in predicting settling behavior and estimating particle mass. Three-dimensional characterization was shown to substantially improve estimates of microplastic transport and sedimentation in water systems.

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

Environmental forensics of the X-press pearl disaster: Uncovering the internal micro-structural transformations in marine microplastics

Researchers used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to non-destructively image the internal microstructure of plastic nurdles from the 2021 MV X-Press Pearl maritime disaster. OCT revealed internal hollow regions, cracks, and voids in degraded nurdles that were not visible from surface examination alone, demonstrating that plastic degradation creates internal structural changes with implications for fragmentation and chemical leaching.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of composite microplastics in sediment using 3D Raman spectroscopy and imaging method

Researchers developed an advanced 3D Raman spectroscopy and imaging method to identify composite microplastics in environmental sediment samples, overcoming the limitations of traditional 2D methods that reduce reliability when analyzing multi-layered plastic products.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic rapid screening method development using automated mineralogy

Automated scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was adapted as a rapid screening method for detecting and characterizing microplastic particles in environmental samples. The method simultaneously identifies particle chemistry, size, and shape without hazardous chemicals. This approach offers a faster and less labor-intensive alternative to traditional microplastic analysis techniques.

2022 Frontiers in Earth Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Fast compressive Raman micro-spectroscopy to image and classify microplastics from natural marine environment

Researchers developed a fast compressive Raman micro-spectroscopy system for imaging and classifying microplastics on filters, achieving significant speed improvements over conventional point-scanning Raman methods. The system correctly identified polymer types in heterogeneous real-world samples, offering a practical tool for routine microplastic monitoring in water and sediment samples.

2024 Environmental Technology & Innovation 8 citations