Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Development of representative convolutional neural network based models for microplastic spectral identification

Researchers developed more representative convolutional neural network (CNN) models for microplastic spectral identification by training on expanded spectral databases that include greater diversity of plastic types, aging stages, secondary additives, pigments, and environmental contamination, outperforming library-search methods in classification accuracy and speed.

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

Deep convolutional neural networks for aged microplastics identification by Fourier transform infrared spectra classification

This study developed a deep learning model using convolutional neural networks to automatically identify aged microplastics from their infrared spectra. Aging changes the chemical signature of plastics, making them harder to identify with conventional spectral databases. The AI approach achieved high accuracy and could significantly speed up the analysis of environmental samples where weathered microplastics are the norm.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

SpectraNet: A unified deep learning framework for infrared spectroscopy-based prediction of plastic recyclability, type classification, and microplastic identification

Researchers built SpectraNet, a deep learning framework using mid-infrared spectroscopy to perform three tasks—plastic recyclability assessment, polymer type classification, and microplastic identification—supported by an open-access infrared spectral database of plastics and microplastics.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Spectral Classification of Large-Scale Blended (Micro)Plastics Using FT-IR Raw Spectra and Image-Based Machine Learning

Researchers developed and compared four machine learning classifiers for identifying microplastic types from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy data using large-scale blended plastic datasets. The study found that a 1D convolutional neural network achieved the best overall accuracy at over 97%, outperforming decision tree and random forest models, offering a scalable alternative to traditional library-search methods for microplastic identification.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a machine‐learning model for microplastic analysis in an FT‐IR microscopy image

Researchers developed a machine-learning model using a 1D convolutional neural network to classify FT-IR microscopy spectra of microplastics into 16 polymer types. The model addresses inaccuracies caused by secondary materials on real environmental samples, improving the speed and reliability of automated microplastic identification.

2024 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Open-set convolutional neural network for infrared spectral classification of environmentally sourced microplastics

A convolutional neural network was trained to classify microplastics from infrared spectra, including an 'open-set' capability to flag unknown polymer types not seen during training — achieving 93.1% accuracy. This advance in automated spectral identification will help environmental monitoring programs process large numbers of microplastic samples faster and more reliably.

2026 npj Emerging Contaminants
Article Tier 2

Leveraging deep learning for automatic recognition of microplastics (MPs) via focal plane array (FPA) micro-FT-IR imaging

Researchers developed PlasticNet, a deep learning neural network for identifying microplastics in environmental samples using infrared imaging, achieving over 95% accuracy across 11 common plastic types. The study demonstrates that this approach overcomes challenges posed by surface modifications and additives that make conventional spectral classification difficult.

2023 Environmental Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Polymers with a Small Data Set of Mid-infrared Spectra: A Comparison between Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models

Researchers compared multiple machine learning and deep learning models for identifying polymer types from mid-infrared spectral data using a small reference dataset, finding that certain deep learning architectures outperformed traditional methods even with limited training examples, supporting automated microplastic identification.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Convolutional neural network for soil microplastic contamination screening using infrared spectroscopy

Researchers trained a convolutional neural network on visible-near-infrared spectra to classify soil samples by degree of microplastic contamination, using concentrations from industrial areas around metropolitan Sydney as a baseline. The model accurately identified uncontaminated samples and improved classification of highly contaminated samples as the number of contamination classes increased, with transfer learning further enhancing performance.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 127 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of marine microplastics by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy: 1-Dimensional convolutional neural network and continuous convolutional model

Researchers investigated using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy combined with deep learning models to identify six types of marine microplastics. A continuous convolution neural network model achieved 99.5% classification accuracy, outperforming a standard 1D convolutional network at 97.5%. The approach offers a faster and less expensive alternative to traditional FTIR and Raman spectroscopy methods for microplastic identification.

2025 Spectrochimica Acta Part A Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comparative Study of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models for Microplastic Classification using FTIR Spectra

Researchers compared machine learning and deep learning models for classifying microplastics using FTIR spectra, evaluating multiple algorithmic approaches against standardised spectral datasets. The study assessed classification accuracy and computational efficiency, identifying which model architectures best discriminate between polymer types in environmental microplastic samples.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Machine learning based workflow for (micro)plastic spectral reconstruction and classification

A machine learning pipeline combining two spectral reconstruction models with four classification algorithms can identify microplastic polymer types from spectral data with up to 98% accuracy on processed spectra. Applied to real environmental samples, the best model achieved 71% top-one accuracy and over 90% top-three accuracy. Automated, high-accuracy microplastic identification tools are critical for scaling up environmental monitoring and making large-scale surveys practical.

2024 Chemosphere 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of learning models to predict LDPE, PET, and ABS concentrations in beach sediment based on spectral reflectance

Researchers compared machine learning models to predict concentrations of LDPE, PET, and ABS microplastics in beach sediments using visible-near-infrared spectral reflectance, demonstrating that spectroscopic methods can efficiently estimate microplastic pollution in understudied terrestrial and coastal environments.

2023 Scientific Reports 13 citations
Article Tier 2

PlasticNet: Deep Learning for Automatic Microplastic Recognition via FT-IR Spectroscopy

Researchers developed PlasticNet, a deep learning algorithm that automatically identifies microplastic types from infrared spectral data, outperforming conventional library matching approaches. Automating microplastic identification could dramatically speed up the analysis of environmental samples and reduce human error.

2021 Journal of Computational Vision and Imaging Systems 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Deep learning for chemometric analysis of plastic spectral data from infrared and Raman databases

A novel deep learning architecture called PolymerSpectraDecisionNet was trained to identify common recyclable plastics from infrared and Raman spectral databases. The model outperformed conventional chemometric methods for polymer classification and was designed to handle real-world spectral variability relevant to the plastics recycling industry.

2022 Resources Conservation and Recycling 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles in the Arctic marine environment: database of IR spectra and its analysis by machine learning methods

Researchers compiled a database of infrared spectra from microplastic particles collected in the Arctic marine environment and applied machine learning methods to automate polymer identification, addressing the labor-intensive nature of manual spectral analysis. They developed and evaluated ML classification models using real environmental polymer spectra to improve the speed and scalability of microplastic chemical characterization in polar research.

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

Optimized recognition of microplastic ATR-FTIR spectra with deep learning

Researchers developed an optimized deep learning method for identifying microplastics from ATR-FTIR spectra, improving classification accuracy for weathered and environmentally contaminated MP samples that challenge standard spectral library matching approaches.

2025
Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics using a convolutional neural network based on micro-Raman spectroscopy

Researchers combined micro-Raman spectroscopy with a neural network to identify microplastics, achieving over 99% accuracy across 10 different plastic types. The system was also tested on real environmental samples and performed well at classifying unknown particles. This AI-powered approach could make microplastic identification faster and more reliable for environmental monitoring.

2023 Talanta 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Hybrid deep learning framework for environmental microplastic classification: Integrating CNN-based spectral feature extraction and transformer models

Researchers developed a hybrid deep learning framework combining convolutional and attention-based architectures to classify environmental microplastics from FTIR spectra, achieving improved accuracy on weathered and contaminated samples that challenge conventional spectral library approaches.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastics in Freshwater Sediments Based on Raman Spectroscopy and Convolutional Neural Networks

Researchers developed a method combining Raman spectroscopy and convolutional neural networks to detect and classify microplastics in complex freshwater sediment samples, training the CNN on mixed spectra from extracted sediment fractions to improve detection accuracy.

2025 The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Article Tier 2

Development of robust models for rapid classification of microplastic polymer types based on near infrared hyperspectral images

Researchers used near-infrared hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning to classify nine types of microplastic particles, finding reliable results even for small particles on wet filters. This method could enable faster, automated identification of diverse microplastic types in environmental water samples.

2021 Analytical Methods 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparison of machine learning techniques for the detection of microplastics

This German-language study compared machine learning algorithms for classifying microplastics based on their infrared spectra, finding that several methods could reliably distinguish polymer types. Automating microplastic identification through machine learning could greatly increase the speed and throughput of environmental monitoring.

2020 reposiTUm (TU Wien)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles in the Arctic marine environment: database of IR spectra and its analysis by machine learning methods

Researchers built a database of IR spectra from microplastic particles collected across Arctic marine environments and applied machine learning methods to enable faster and less labor-intensive chemical composition analysis, identifying polymer types from spectral signatures at broad regional scales.

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

Recent advances in the application of machine learning methods to improve identification of the microplastics in environment

This review examined a decade of progress in applying machine learning algorithms to microplastic identification, finding that support vector machines and artificial neural networks significantly improve detection accuracy and efficiency when combined with spectroscopic techniques like FTIR and Raman.

2022 Chemosphere 89 citations