Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Overcoming resolution limitations: Spectroscopy of sub-30 nm nanoplastics

Researchers developed a multi-technique approach combining standard micro-Raman spectroscopy with atomic force microscopy to characterize nanoplastics as small as 25 nm, achieving a mass detection limit of 8.6 attograms and demonstrating the capability to obtain single-particle spectra from sub-30 nm polystyrene nanoparticles.

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

Sub-10 nm Nanoparticle Detection Using Multi-Technique-Based Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers combined standard micro-Raman spectroscopy with atomic force microscopy to detect individual nanoparticles as small as 9 nm — a size range that until now required far more complex and time-consuming instruments. This advance matters for microplastic research because plastics continuously fragment into nanoplastics, and having accessible tools to characterise these ultra-small particles is essential for understanding their environmental distribution and biological uptake.

2023 Polymers 10 citations
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

Visualizationand Detection of Polystyrene Micro(nano)plasticsin PM2.5 by Atomic Force Microscopy–Raman SpectroscopicImaging

Researchers applied atomic force microscopy–Raman spectroscopic imaging to simultaneously detect and characterize polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in PM2.5 atmospheric particulate matter, demonstrating morphological and chemical identification of particles below the resolution limit of conventional optical methods.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Visualization and Detection of Polystyrene Micro(nano)plastics in PM2.5 by Atomic Force Microscopy–Raman Spectroscopic Imaging

Researchers developed a novel atomic force microscopy–Raman spectroscopy imaging method to simultaneously detect and characterize polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in atmospheric PM2.5, enabling both morphological and chemical identification of plastic particles that could not be resolved by conventional spectroscopic approaches alone.

2025 Analytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Photoinduced Force Microscopy as an Efficient Method Towards the Detection of Nanoplastics

Researchers demonstrated photoinduced force microscopy as an effective method for detecting and chemically characterizing individual nanoplastic particles, overcoming limitations of conventional techniques that lack either sufficient spatial resolution or spectroscopic capability at the nanoscale.

2021 Chemistry - Methods 30 citations
Article Tier 2

High-resolution characterization technology for micro-/nano-plastics

This review provides an overview of advanced technologies for detecting and characterizing micro- and nanoplastics, including Raman spectroscopy, infrared imaging, and mass spectrometry techniques. Researchers evaluated the capabilities and limitations of each method, particularly for identifying the smallest plastic particles that are most challenging to measure. The study emphasizes that improving detection at the nanoscale is essential for accurately assessing the environmental and health risks of plastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Physics D Applied Physics 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and visualisation of microplastics/nanoplastics by Raman imaging (i): Down to 100 nm

Researchers developed an advanced Raman imaging technique capable of identifying and visualizing nanoplastics down to 100 nanometers in size. The study addressed a key analytical gap, as nanoplastic research has been limited by the lack of effective characterization methods, and the new approach offers a way to detect these extremely small particles that may pose greater environmental risks due to their high surface area.

2020 Water Research 292 citations
Article Tier 2

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for the detection of microplastics

Researchers developed a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy method using gold nanoparticles to detect polystyrene microplastics at concentrations as low as 6.5 micrograms per milliliter, offering a new tool for detecting sub-micron plastic pollutants in water.

2022 Applied Surface Science 140 citations
Article Tier 2

Picogram-Level Nanoplastic Analysis with Nanoelectromechanical System Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: NEMS-FTIR

Researchers developed a NEMS-FTIR approach combining nanoelectromechanical systems with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for chemical characterization and quantification of nanoplastics, achieving picogram-level detection limits ranging from 101 to 353 pg for polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride nanoplastics with diameters from 54 to 262 nm.

2025 ArXiv.org
Article Tier 2

Identification and visualisation of microplastics/ nanoplastics by Raman imaging (ii): Smaller than the diffraction limit of laser?

Researchers examined whether confocal Raman microscopy can identify and visualize nanoplastics smaller than the diffraction limit of the laser, analyzing the lateral intensity distribution of Raman signals from nanoplastics ranging from approximately 30 to 600 nm in diameter. The study found that while imaging resolution is limited by diffraction, chemical identification of sub-diffraction-limit nanoplastics remains possible.

2020 Water Research 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Hyperspectral TERS Imaging Reveals Strain Heterogeneity in Individual Nanoplastic Particles

Researchers used AFM-based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (AFM-TERS) to chemically image individual polystyrene nanoplastic particles at nanometer resolution under ambient conditions. The technique revealed internal strain heterogeneity and chemical variability within single nanoplastic particles, demonstrating a powerful new tool for nanoplastic characterization.

2025 Nano Letters
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
Article Tier 2

Single-nanoplastic detection based on plasmon-coupled scattering microscopy

Researchers developed plasmon-coupled scattering microscopy (PCSM) as a new method for detecting and characterising individual nanoplastic particles down to single-particle sensitivity. The technique offers higher resolution and lower cost than traditional approaches and was validated against known nanoplastic standards.

2025 Sensors and Actuators A Physical
Article Tier 2

Hyperspectral TERS Imaging Reveals Strain Heterogeneity in Individual Nanoplastic Particles

Using AFM-based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) with hyperspectral imaging, researchers characterized the chemical heterogeneity of individual polystyrene nanoplastic particles at nanoscale resolution. The technique revealed unexpected strain and chemical variation within single particles—information inaccessible to bulk spectroscopy—demonstrating TERS as a powerful label-free tool for nanoplastic characterization.

2025 Repository for Publications and Research Data (ETH Zurich)
Article Tier 2

Efficient silver-based hybrid nano-assemblies for polystyrene nanoparticles SERS detection

Researchers built nanoscale silver-silicon hybrid platforms that can detect polystyrene nanoplastics using a technique called surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The platforms achieved high sensitivity with detection limits in the microgram-per-milliliter range. The technology offers a promising approach for identifying nanoscale plastic particles that are too small for conventional detection methods.

2025 Microchemical Journal 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative and sensitive analysis of polystyrene nanoplastics down to 50 nm by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy in water

Researchers developed a highly sensitive method using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to detect and quantify polystyrene nanoplastics as small as 50 nanometers in water samples. The technique achieved detection limits far below what conventional methods can measure, enabling the identification of nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations. This advancement addresses a critical gap in nanoplastic monitoring, as most existing methods cannot reliably detect particles at such small sizes.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 123 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of polystyrene nanoplastics using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated for the first time that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using silver nanoparticles can identify polystyrene nanoplastics as small as 50 nm in real water samples, providing a rapid detection method that bypasses conventional sample preparation and could advance environmental monitoring of nanoplastics previously invisible to standard analytical techniques.

2020 Talanta 207 citations
Article Tier 2

High-performance micro/nanoplastics characterization by MALDI-FTICR mass spectrometry

Researchers developed a MALDI-FTICR mass spectrometry method for high-precision chemical identification of micro- and nanoplastics, demonstrating unambiguous characterization of multiple polymer types including polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate even at very small particle sizes.

2022 Chemosphere 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Facilitates the Detection of Microplastics <1 μm in the Environment

Researchers developed a method using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to detect and identify individual microplastic particles smaller than one micrometer. This technique addresses a major gap in environmental monitoring, since most current methods cannot reliably detect the smallest microplastics that may pose the greatest risk due to their ability to enter cells and tissues.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 325 citations