Papers

61,005 results
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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

Do Microplastics Enter Our Food Chain Via Root Vegetables? A Raman Based Spectroscopic Study on Raphanus sativus

Raman spectroscopy analysis of radish (Raphanus sativus) plants grown in microplastic-contaminated soil detected plastic microparticles within root tissue, providing evidence that certain root vegetables can take up microplastics from soil into edible parts.

2021 Materials 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Visual tracking of label-free microplastics in wheat seedlings and their effects on crop growth and physiology

Researchers used advanced microscopy to visually track label-free polystyrene microplastics as they moved through wheat seedlings from roots to shoots via the plant's water-transport system. At lower concentrations, the microplastics actually increased water uptake in roots, but at higher concentrations they significantly reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. The study provides direct visual evidence that crop plants can absorb and transport microplastics, with potential consequences for plant health and food safety.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Label-free detection of polystyrene nanoparticles in Daphnia magna using Raman confocal mapping

Researchers demonstrated that Raman confocal mapping can detect polystyrene nanoparticles inside Daphnia magna without labels or dyes, revealing particle accumulation in the gut and providing a non-invasive method for studying nanoplastic uptake in organisms.

2023 Nanoscale Advances 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of nano/microplastics by rice seedlings: Evidence from a hydroponic experiment

In a hydroponic experiment, researchers showed that both nano-sized (80 nm) and micro-sized (1 micrometer) polystyrene particles were absorbed by rice plant roots and transported up into stems and leaves. The particles traveled through the plant's vascular system and accumulated in cell walls and between cells. This finding is concerning because it demonstrates that microplastics in soil and water can enter food crops like rice and potentially reach people through their diet.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 366 citations
Article Tier 2

Confocal measurement of microplastics uptake by plants

Using confocal microscopy, researchers directly observed microplastic particles being taken up by plant roots and shoots in agricultural soil conditions, confirming that food crops can internalize plastic particles. This finding raises important questions about human dietary exposure to microplastics through plant-based foods.

2019 MethodsX 146 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

Luminous polystyrene upconverted nanoparticles to visualize the traces of nanoplastics in a vegetable plant

Luminous polystyrene upconverted nanoparticles were used to track the uptake and accumulation of nanoplastics in edible plants, providing a novel visualization method that revealed specific tissues and pathways through which nanoplastics travel from soil through roots into above-ground plant structures.

2025 Environmental Science Nano 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Bridging lab and field: Tracking environmentally relevant nanoplastics in crops using Py-GC/MS

Researchers developed a method to track environmentally realistic nanoplastics in barley plants using a novel analytical technique. They produced nanoplastics from weathered polystyrene foam to better mimic real-world conditions and confirmed the particles could be taken up by plant roots and move into above-ground tissues. The study provides important evidence that crops grown in contaminated soil can absorb nanoplastics, with implications for food safety.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
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

Uptake and distribution of microplastics of different particle sizes in maize (Zea mays) seedling roots

Researchers studied how maize seedling roots take up polystyrene microplastic beads of different sizes and found that smaller particles were absorbed more readily than larger ones. Particles as small as 0.2 micrometers were detected in both roots and shoots, with the root tip being the primary uptake zone. The findings confirm that microplastics can enter food crops through their root systems, raising questions about food safety.

2022 Chemosphere 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastic interaction with Oryza sativa: toxicity and metabolic mechanism

Researchers confirmed for the first time that polystyrene nanoplastics can enter rice plant root cells through a process called endocytosis. This finding provides important new understanding of how microplastic contamination in soil may affect crop plants and potentially enter the food supply.

2021 Environmental Science Nano 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid On-Site and Sensitive Detection of Microplastics Using Zirconium (IV)-Assisted SERS Label

Researchers developed a novel surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy technique using a zirconium-based label for rapid, on-site detection of microplastics. The method achieved sensitive and reliable identification of microplastic particles in agricultural and environmental samples. The study offers a promising portable detection approach that could make routine microplastic monitoring more practical and accessible.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined approaches for detecting polypropylene microplastics in crop plants

Researchers developed a combined approach using chemical digestion and Nile red staining to detect polypropylene microplastics accumulated in maize and wheat plants. The study found that after 75 days of exposure, microplastic particles accumulated primarily in wheat roots and maize stems, with maize plants depositing more and larger particles overall, demonstrating that crop plants can take up and accumulate label-free microplastic particles from soil.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 9 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

A new quantitative insight: Interaction of polyethylene microplastics with soil - microbiome - crop

Researchers developed a new method to track and measure how polyethylene microplastics move through soil and into crops, and for the first time demonstrated that micron-sized particles can accumulate in plant tissues, with the highest concentrations found in roots. Weathered microplastics significantly reduced soil nutrients and inhibited plant growth in maize, while fresh microplastics had different effects on soil chemistry. The findings suggest that aging microplastics in agricultural soil may pose a greater risk to crop productivity than previously understood.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman spectroscopy: Recent advances in fast and reliable microplastic analysis

This review summarized recent advances in Raman spectroscopy for fast and reliable microplastic identification, covering improvements in speed, sensitivity, and automation that are making the technique more practical for routine environmental monitoring. Raman-based methods are increasingly able to identify microplastics in complex environmental matrices including biological tissues.

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

Methods for identifying microplastics in food systems

Identifying microplastics in food is technically challenging because food matrices are complex and particles can be very small. This review covers the main methods scientists use — from simple visual inspection to sophisticated techniques like Raman spectroscopy and infrared imaging — and evaluates their strengths and limitations in the context of food safety. The authors conclude that Raman microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy are currently the gold-standard approaches for detecting and confirming the chemical identity of microplastics in food and agricultural products.

2026 Agrarian science
Article Tier 2

Direct Nanoplastics Detection Below the Diffraction Limit Using Micro Raman

Researchers demonstrated that micro-Raman spectroscopy can directly detect polystyrene nanoplastic particles as small as 20 nm — far below the normal diffraction limit. This advances analytical capabilities for detecting the smallest nanoplastic particles in environmental samples.

2023
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

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

Transport Dynamics and Physiological Responses of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safety and Environmental Health

Researchers tracked fluorescently labeled nanoplastics as they traveled through pakchoi (a leafy green vegetable), entering through the roots, moving up through the plant's water-transport system, and accumulating in the leaves. The nanoplastics caused oxidative damage and disrupted plant hormones, demonstrating a clear pathway by which plastic pollution in soil could enter the human food supply through everyday vegetables.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Label-Free Identification and Imaging of Microplastic and Nanoplastic Biouptake Using Optical Photothermal Infrared Microspectroscopy

Researchers developed a new imaging technique that can locate and identify microplastic and nanoplastic particles inside whole organisms without needing fluorescent labels. Using a method called optical photothermal infrared microscopy, they tracked polystyrene particles as small as 1 micrometer in roundworms. This tool could help scientists better understand how plastic particles are taken up by living things and where they accumulate in the body.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 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