Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Detection of Unlabeled Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Tissue by Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated that a new imaging technique called O-PTIR spectroscopy can detect unlabeled plastic particles as small as 200 nanometers inside mammalian tissues without damaging the samples. Combined with machine learning for faster analysis, this method significantly outperforms traditional infrared spectroscopy for finding nanoplastics in biological tissue. Better detection tools like this are essential for understanding how much plastic actually accumulates in human organs.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Label-free nano- and microplastics detection in mammalian tissue by photothermal infrared spectroscopy

Researchers applied optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to detect and identify nano- and microplastics smaller than 1 µm in mammalian tissue sections without requiring labels or lengthy digestion protocols. The method successfully localized polystyrene particles in tissue samples with chemical specificity, offering a faster workflow for nanoplastic detection in biological matrices.

2025
Article Tier 2

Detection ofUnlabeled Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplasticsin Mammalian Tissue by Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy

Researchers evaluated optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy for detecting unlabeled polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics down to 200 nm in mammalian kidney tissues and 3D cell cultures. O-PTIR outperformed conventional FTIR in spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, and machine learning accelerated particle detection with minimal human error.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Optical photothermal infrared spectroscopic assessment of microplastics in tissue models and non-digested human tissue sections

Researchers developed a method using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to detect and map microplastics directly within tissue sections without requiring chemical or enzymatic digestion. The study suggests this approach preserves spatial information about where microplastics are located within tissue architecture, overcoming a key limitation of conventional digestion-based methods that can lose some particles.

2026 The Analyst
Article Tier 2

Photothermal Infrared Imaging of Nanoplastics in Human Cells with Nanoscale Resolution

Researchers demonstrated a new photothermal infrared imaging technique capable of detecting and localizing nanoplastics inside individual human cells at nanoscale resolution. The study found that polystyrene nanoparticles accumulated around cell nuclei, and that this advanced imaging approach overcomes the spatial resolution limitations of conventional infrared spectroscopy for tracking nanoplastics in biological tissues.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 1 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

Characterization of microplastics in tap water by optical photothermal infrared

Researchers used optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to characterize microplastics in tap water, identifying particles as small as a few micrometers that conventional FTIR techniques cannot resolve. The higher detection sensitivity revealed that microplastic concentrations in drinking water are likely underestimated by standard methods.

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

Machine learning powered framework for detection of micro- and nanoplastics using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy

A machine learning framework was developed to detect and classify micro- and nanoplastics using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, addressing the lack of standardized detection methods in the field. The approach improves accuracy and consistency in identifying plastic particles, potentially enabling better monitoring of environmental and human health risks.

2023 EPJ Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

PhotothermalInfrared Imaging of Nanoplastics in HumanCells with Nanoscale Resolution

Researchers used photothermal infrared imaging with nanoscale resolution to detect and localize polystyrene nanoparticles inside individual human fibroblast and glioblastoma cells, overcoming the size limitation of conventional FTIR and enabling sub-100 nm nanoplastic localization in cells.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Chemical characterization of microplastics from biosolids: a comparison of FTIR and O-PTIR microspectroscopy

Researchers compared conventional FTIR microspectroscopy with the emerging Optical Photothermal Infrared (O-PTIR) technique for chemical characterization and polymer-type identification of microplastics extracted from biosolids, finding that O-PTIR's submicron resolution and artifact-free spectra offer advantages over traditional methods.

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

Unveiling Hidden Threats: Introduction of a Routine Workflow for Label-Free and Non-destructive Detection of Microplastics in Human FFPE Tissue Sections

Researchers developed a new workflow using mid-infrared photothermal microscopy to detect and identify microplastic particles directly in preserved human colon tissue sections. The method allows non-destructive, label-free identification of polymer types within tissue without special sample preparation. The study introduces a practical approach that could enable routine screening for microplastics in human tissues during standard medical examinations.

2025 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in tap water by optical photothermal infrared

Researchers characterized microplastics in tap water using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, a technique that can identify particles smaller than 10 micrometers with high chemical specificity. The method detected a broader range of particle sizes than conventional FTIR microscopy, revealing higher microplastic concentrations in tap water than previously reported.

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

Analysing micro- and nanoplastics with cutting-edge infrared spectroscopy techniques: a critical review

This review evaluates cutting-edge infrared spectroscopy techniques for detecting and analyzing micro- and nanoplastics in environmental and food samples. Better detection methods are crucial for understanding human exposure because they allow scientists to measure smaller particles more accurately, including nanoplastics that are small enough to cross biological barriers and accumulate in human tissues.

2024 Analytical Methods 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Identifying Microplastics in Laboratory and Atmospheric Aerosol Mixtures via Optical Photothermal Infrared and Raman Microspectroscopy

Researchers developed optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy methods to identify microplastics in both laboratory-prepared and real atmospheric aerosol samples, demonstrating the technique's ability to distinguish plastic particles from other aerosol components in complex air quality monitoring contexts.

2025 Analytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy with simultaneously acquired Raman spectroscopy for two-dimensional microplastic identification

Researchers demonstrated that optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy combined with simultaneous Raman acquisition enables more reliable two-dimensional microplastic identification, overcoming limitations of individual FTIR or Raman techniques alone.

2022 Scientific Reports 109 citations
Article Tier 2

An investigation on the applications of advanced Infrared Spectroscopy, Spectral Imaging and Machine Learning for Polymer Characterization, including microplastics

This study integrated advanced infrared spectroscopy, spectral imaging, chemometrics, and machine learning to identify and characterize microplastics and polymer degradation products. The combination of techniques improved both the accuracy and throughput of MP analysis compared to conventional methods.

2025 Research Repository UCD (University College Dublin)
Article Tier 2

Method for label-free & non-destructive detection of microplastics in human formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections

Researchers developed a new method to detect microplastic particles directly in preserved human colon tissue samples using advanced infrared microscopy, without destroying the tissue. They identified polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET particles within the tissue and observed signs of inflammation near the plastic particles, marking what may be the first workflow that combines microplastic detection with standard pathology analysis in human samples.

2025 Scientific Reports 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Using Infrared Photothermal Heterodyne Imaging to Characterize Micro- and Nanoplastics in Complex Environmental Matrices

Researchers introduced infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (IR-PHI) as a 300 nm resolution technique for identifying and quantifying micro- and nanoplastics in complex environmental matrices, demonstrating its application to nylon tea bag leachates and sediment samples.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Classification and Quantification of Microplastics (<100 μm) Using a Focal Plane Array–Fourier Transform Infrared Imaging System and Machine Learning

Researchers developed a method using focal plane array Fourier transform infrared imaging to classify and quantify microplastics smaller than 100 micrometers. The technique allows simultaneous chemical identification and size measurement of individual particles across a filter sample, significantly improving throughput compared to manual analysis. The study demonstrates that automated spectroscopic imaging can reliably detect and categorize very small microplastics that are often missed by conventional methods.

2020 Analytical Chemistry 172 citations
Article Tier 2

IdentifyingMicroplastics in Laboratory and AtmosphericAerosol Mixtures via Optical Photothermal Infrared and Raman Microspectroscopy

This study applied optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to identify microplastics in atmospheric aerosol mixtures, demonstrating that the technique can distinguish plastic particles by polymer type in complex air samples relevant to understanding human inhalation exposure to airborne MPs.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Robust Automatic Identification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples Using FTIR Microscopy

Researchers developed a robust automated method for identifying microplastics in environmental samples using FTIR microscopy combined with machine learning-based spectral matching, improving the consistency and efficiency of microplastic identification compared to manual evaluation.

2019 Analytical Chemistry 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Computer-Assisted Analysis of Microplastics in Environmental Samples Based on μFTIR Imaging in Combination with Machine Learning

Researchers developed machine learning approaches for automated microplastic identification in environmental samples from micro-FTIR imaging data, demonstrating improved accuracy and speed compared to traditional spectral library search methods for scalable analysis.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 123 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a rapid detection protocol for microplastics using reflectance-FTIR spectroscopic imaging and multivariate classification

Reflectance-FTIR spectroscopy was evaluated as a faster and more automated detection method for microplastics in environmental samples, with results showing strong potential for high-throughput screening. The method could reduce the time and cost of routine microplastic monitoring programs.

2023 Environmental Science Advances 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Label-free non-destructive spectroscopic detection of mixed microplastic uptake and differential effects on intestinal epithelial cells

Researchers used a specialized infrared spectroscopy technique to detect and identify real-world microplastics that had been internalized by human intestinal cells in the lab. They found that mixed microplastic exposures caused measurable changes in cellular biochemistry, even when individual plastic types showed limited effects. The study demonstrates a promising non-destructive method for tracking microplastics inside biological tissues and suggests that realistic mixtures of plastics may be more harmful than single types alone.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations