Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this review covers the use of terahertz spectroscopy and imaging for characterising bioplastic materials in the context of quality control and circular economy manufacturing.

2023 Photonics 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and characterization of various plastics using THz-spectroscopy

Researchers used terahertz spectroscopy, which has reached spatial resolutions of a few micrometres and interacts with molecular vibrations without ionizing samples or damaging DNA, to identify and characterize various plastic types, demonstrating the technique's potential for building materials databases and biological imaging applications.

2022 arXiv (Cornell University)
Article Tier 2

Towards a fast and generalized microplastic quantification method in soil using terahertz spectroscopy

Researchers compared terahertz and near-infrared spectroscopy for quantifying microplastics in soil, finding that terahertz spectroscopy offered a faster and more accurate approach than NIR for distinguishing household microplastics from standard reference polymers in soil matrices.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterizations of high-density polyethylene by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Researchers characterized the optical properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) particles using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and found the method can distinguish different particle sizes and filler contents. The technique can also detect how HDPE adsorbs other substances onto its surface. Terahertz spectroscopy could be developed as a rapid, non-destructive tool for identifying and characterizing HDPE microplastics in environmental samples.

2023 Terahertz Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in water bottled in different packaging by Raman spectroscopy

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in bottled water from different packaging types using Raman spectroscopy, confirming that plastic contamination occurs across various commercial water bottle materials.

2023 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a Compact and Portable Terahertz Imaging System for Industrial Applications

Researchers developed a compact, portable terahertz imaging device suitable for use outside the laboratory, demonstrating its ability to detect microplastics in soil among a range of other applications. While microplastic detection is one of several uses tested, the availability of low-cost, field-deployable detection technology could support faster and broader environmental monitoring of microplastic contamination.

2024 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastic in Salts Using Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated that terahertz spectroscopy can detect microplastics embedded in table salt at different concentrations. This technology could offer a new non-destructive method for screening food products for microplastic contamination.

2021 Sensors 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on Rapid Quantitative Detection of Soil MPs Based on Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy

Researchers developed a rapid method for detecting and quantifying microplastics in soil using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy combined with machine learning algorithms. The classification models achieved high accuracy in identifying different types of microplastics including polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene. The study suggests that terahertz spectroscopy could provide a faster and more efficient alternative to current methods for monitoring microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Application of Terahertz Metamaterials Based on Metallic Strip Structures in Detection of Reverse Micelles

Researchers developed terahertz metamaterial sensors based on microfluidic technology for detecting and characterizing microplastics in liquid samples. The approach offers high sensitivity for distinguishing polymer types based on their terahertz absorption signatures.

2024 Biosensors 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic as an written composition in bottled water: Implications for waste management

This study characterized microplastic contamination in bottled water, identifying common polymer types and particle sizes and discussing implications for waste management and the effectiveness of current filtration in bottling facilities.

2024 Waste Handling and Environmental Monitoring.
Article Tier 2

Optical parameters extraction of soil and its microplastics contamination using terahertz spectroscopy

Researchers used terahertz spectroscopy to detect and quantify low-density polyethylene microplastics mixed into soil at different concentrations, finding that the technique could distinguish contaminated from clean soil based on changes in refractive index and signal attenuation. Terahertz spectroscopy is non-destructive and rapid, making it a potentially valuable tool for in-field soil microplastic screening without the need for laboratory extraction.

2024 Heliyon 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of Analysis Method on Microplastic Identification in Bottled Drinking Water

This study tested two methods for identifying microplastics in bottled drinking water using FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Microplastics were successfully detected, adding to evidence that bottled water is a source of human microplastic ingestion.

2020 Macromolecular Symposia 35 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential of NIR spectroscopy in the separation of plastics for pyrolysis

This study examined the potential of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to identify and sort different plastic types for chemical recycling, finding it can effectively distinguish major polymer types. Better plastic sorting technology could improve recycling rates and reduce the amount of plastic that ends up as environmental microplastic pollution.

2021 Electronic Imaging 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Hyperspectral Imaging for Detecting Plastic Debris on Shoreline Sands to Support Recycling

Researchers explored the use of hyperspectral imaging technology to detect and identify different types of plastic debris on beach sand. The method can distinguish between various polymer types, supporting more efficient recycling and cleanup operations. The study demonstrates a non-contact detection approach that could help prevent further degradation of shoreline plastics into microplastics.

2024 Applied Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection, Quantification, and Characterisation of Microplastics in Maltese Bottled Water

Researchers detected microplastics in 84% of bottled water samples from five Maltese brands at an average concentration of 35,877 ± 23,542 particles per litre, with an average particle diameter of 2.37 μm and polymers including polyurethane, polyethylene, and polymethyl methacrylate identified by Raman spectroscopy.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Marker Materials and Spectroscopic Methods for Tracer-Based Sorting of Plastic Wastes

Researchers evaluated fluorescent and photoluminescent marker materials for tracer-based sorting of plastic waste, finding that spectroscopic detection methods could enable more precise identification of polymer types to improve recycling rates.

2022 Polymers 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Study of Chemometric Approaches and Machine Learning for Miniaturized Near-infrared (micronir) Spectroscopy in Plasticwaste Sorting

This study tested a miniaturized near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy device combined with chemometric and machine learning methods to sort different types of plastic waste. The approach accurately identified polymer types, supporting more efficient plastic recycling operations that could reduce microplastic generation.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Spanish bottled water

Researchers analyzed 22 bottled water samples sold in Spain -- packaged in plastic, glass, and cans -- by filtering entire bottle volumes and characterizing particles via micro-FTIR, finding microplastic concentrations of 0-27 particles/L (median 6.67 particles/L) with cellulosic fibers, polyamide, and PET as the dominant polymer types.

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

Short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging of microplastics: Effects of chemical and physical processes on spectral signatures and detection capabilities

Researchers evaluated short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging for rapid microplastic detection and polymer identification, testing the effects of various physical and chemical weathering agents on spectral signatures and finding the technique effective for identifying multiple polymer types in complex samples.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in bottled water from Croatia: a Raman spectroscopy approach

Researchers analyzed six brands of bottled water sold in Croatia and found microplastics in all of them, with particles as small as 1 micrometer detected using Raman spectroscopy. The most commonly found plastics were PET and polyethylene, and interestingly, bottles made from virgin PET contained more microplastics than those made from recycled PET. The study adds to growing evidence that bottled water is a significant source of human microplastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastiche: classificazione, identificazione e rimozione all'interno degli impianti di trattamento delle acque reflue

This Italian-language paper reviews how microplastics are classified, identified using techniques like FTIR spectroscopy, and removed in wastewater treatment plants. Conventional treatment plants remove a substantial portion of microplastics but still allow many particles to pass through into the environment. The review calls for better treatment technologies and standardized methods to assess microplastic removal efficiency.

2021 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mid-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning for postconsumer plastics recycling

Mid-infrared spectroscopy combined with machine learning was developed to sort and identify postconsumer plastics, aiming to prevent contamination and improve recycling stream purity. The approach could help close material loops and reduce the volume of plastic ultimately entering the environment.

2023 Environmental Science Advances 21 citations
Article Tier 2

MIR spectral characterization of plastic to enable discrimination in an industrial recycling context: III. Anticipating impacts of ageing on identification

Researchers characterized how UV weathering alters the mid-infrared spectra of five common waste electrical and electronic equipment plastics and found that while oxidation introduces new spectral features, characteristic polymer signals remain distinguishable, meaning aged plastics can still be reliably identified by MIR hyperspectral sorting systems.

2020 Waste Management 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of environmental microplastics by vibrational microspectroscopy: FTIR, Raman or both?

This study reviewed analytical methods for environmental microplastic analysis using vibrational microspectroscopy — comparing FTIR, Raman, and related techniques — and provided guidance on method selection for different sample types and research questions.

2016 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 975 citations