Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Surface nanodroplet-based nanoextraction from sub-milliliter volumes of dense suspensions

Scientists developed a rapid micro-extraction technique using tiny surface droplets that can concentrate trace chemicals from very small sample volumes. This analytical method could be adapted for detecting microplastic-associated chemicals in water and environmental samples.

2021 Lab on a Chip 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Utilizing Hydrophobic Surfaces for Microplastics Quantification and Detection in Water Reservoirs

This study developed a cost-effective method using hydrophobic surfaces to capture and quantify microplastics from water samples. The approach simplifies detection by concentrating particles onto a surface before analysis, reducing the need for expensive equipment. The method could make routine microplastic monitoring in drinking water and reservoirs more practical.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microfluidic Detection and Analysis of Microplastics Using Surface Nanodroplets

Researchers developed a microfluidic device that uses tiny surface droplets to capture and analyze microplastics as small as 10 micrometers from water samples. The captured particles can be examined under a microscope and identified by type using Raman spectroscopy without removing them from the device. The method offers a simpler, faster, and more affordable way to detect small microplastics compared to conventional filtration techniques.

2024 ACS Sensors 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular Mechanisms Governing the Adsorption, Deposition, and Removal of Environmentally Aged Microplastics by Engineered Surfaces

Scientists figured out how tiny plastic particles that have been weathered in the environment stick to different surfaces, then used this knowledge to create a new material that can remove over 92% of these microplastics from water. This breakthrough could lead to better filters and cleanup systems to remove microplastics from drinking water and the environment. Since microplastics are found everywhere from our food to our bloodstream, having effective ways to remove them could help protect human health.

2026 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

A StraightforwardApproach for the Removal of Microplasticsfrom Water: Utilization of SLIPS

Researchers demonstrated for the first time that slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) can rapidly and efficiently remove polystyrene microplastics from water, with the slippery surface capturing particles through size-independent adhesion without requiring filters or chemical treatment.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Optofluidic light-droplet interaction for rapidly assessing the presence of plastic microspheres within aqueous suspensions

Scientists created a new device that can quickly detect tiny plastic particles (called microplastics) in water by shining light through water droplets and measuring changes in brightness. The device can spot extremely small amounts of plastic pollution - as little as 0.13 milligrams per gram of water. This technology could help us better monitor plastic contamination in our drinking water and environment, which is important since these tiny plastics can harm both ecosystems and human health.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

A Straightforward Approach for the Removal of Microplastics from Water: Utilization of SLIPS

Researchers developed a new approach for removing microplastics from water using slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces, or SLIPS. The method uses a laser-textured plexiglass surface coated with silicone oil that efficiently repels and captures polystyrene microplastics from water. This straightforward technique offers a promising, fast, and highly efficient option for water treatment applications.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel droplet-based approach for investigating bacterial biofilm formation on microplastic

Researchers developed a droplet-based microfluidic approach to study bacterial biofilm formation on microplastics, enabling high-throughput analysis of how plastic surfaces promote biofilm growth. The method revealed that microplastics support biofilm formation that can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria, linking plastic pollution to antimicrobial resistance concerns.

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

Droplet-based Opto-microfluidic Device for Microplastic Sensing in Aqueous Solutions

Researchers developed a microfluidic device using light to detect plastic microspheres in water droplets, offering a new tool for identifying microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Liquid metasurface for size-independent detection of microplastics

Researchers developed a liquid metasurface sensor that can detect and quantify microplastics regardless of their size, overcoming a major limitation of existing detection methods. The technology uses surface-enhanced Raman scattering on a self-assembled liquid surface to eliminate the size-dependent detection problems that plague conventional solid substrates. This advancement could make it significantly easier to accurately measure microplastic contamination in environmental samples.

2024 Talanta 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Optofluidic light-droplet interaction for rapidly assessing the presence of plastic microspheres within aqueous suspensions

Scientists developed a new device that can quickly detect tiny plastic particles (called microplastics) in water by shining light through water droplets and measuring how much light gets blocked. The device can spot extremely small amounts of plastic pollution - even particles smaller than the width of a human hair. This technology could help us better monitor plastic contamination in drinking water and the environment, which is important since these tiny plastics can harm both ecosystems and human health.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Machine learning-integrated droplet microfluidic system for accurate quantification and classification of microplastics

Scientists developed a new microplastic detection system that combines tiny droplet-based testing with machine learning to quickly identify and classify microplastic particles. This portable system can accurately detect microplastics on-site without expensive lab equipment, which could make widespread environmental and food safety monitoring much more practical.

2025 Water Research 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Superhydrophobic Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) Substrates for Sensitive Detection of Trace Nanoplastics in Water

Researchers developed a new method to detect extremely small nanoplastics in water by combining a water-repelling surface that concentrates particles with a technique called SERS that amplifies their chemical signal. The method can identify common nanoplastics like polystyrene and PMMA at very low concentrations, which is an important step toward monitoring these tiny pollutants that are difficult to detect with current tools.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Plasmonic Coacervate as a Droplet-Based SERS Platform for Rapid Enrichment and Microanalysis of Hydrophobic Payloads

Researchers developed a coacervate microdroplet platform incorporating silver nanoparticles as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for detecting and quantifying trace hydrophobic contaminants, including those associated with microplastics. The platform demonstrated effective enrichment and sensitive detection of hydrophobic analytes, offering a droplet-based approach for microplastic-associated pollutant analysis.

2024 Analytical Chemistry 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Simple and High-sensitivity Analysis of Small Microplastics with Phase Separation by Using Water/isopropanol/chloroform

Researchers developed a high-sensitivity technique for detecting small microplastics using phase separation with a water/isopropanol/chloroform mixture, which concentrates microbeads into a low-volume extraction droplet phase. The high concentration ratio and full field-of-view coverage enabled significantly improved detection sensitivity for microbeads compared to pre-concentration methods.

2023 Chemistry Letters 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel droplet-based approach for investigating bacterial biofilm formation on microplastic

Researchers developed a droplet-based microfluidic approach to study bacterial biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces, enabling high-throughput screening of how different polymer types and surface conditions influence plastisphere community development.

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

Smart filters for the analysis of microplastic in beverages filled in plastic bottles

Scientists developed 'smart filters' that automatically capture microplastic particles from beverages in plastic bottles and provide a direct readout of particle counts, enabling rapid food safety testing. Current methods require extensive laboratory processing, so this tool could make routine microplastic monitoring in food and beverages much more practical.

2021 Food Additives & Contaminants Part A 23 citations
Article Tier 2

The key role of surface tension in the transport and quantification of plastic pollution in rivers

Researchers discovered that surface tension — the same force that lets insects walk on water — traps a large portion of floating plastic in rivers at the water's surface, meaning current monitoring methods that only sample the surface may underestimate total riverine plastic pollution by up to 90%.

2022 Water Research 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Using Adhesives to Capture Microplastics from Water

Researchers developed an approach using pressure-sensitive adhesives to capture microplastics from water, demonstrating a practical method for preventing microplastic release into aquatic environments rather than attempting environmental remediation.

2021 ACS ES&T Engineering 30 citations
Article Tier 2

A Highly Sensitive SERS Substrate for Detection of Nanoplastics in Water

Researchers developed a highly sensitive SERS-based substrate for detecting nanoplastic particles in water at very low concentrations. Improved detection tools for nanoplastics are essential for monitoring their presence in drinking water and understanding exposure risks to human health.

2023
Article Tier 2

Liquid crystal–driven interfacial ordering of colloidal microplastics: Advancing microplastic characterization below the macroscale

Researchers developed a liquid crystal-based platform to characterize micrometer-scale and smaller microplastic particles by exploiting their spontaneous adsorption and self-organization at liquid crystal-aqueous interfaces. The approach enables detection and differentiation of microplastics below the macroscale, even for particles with chemically complex or weathered surfaces and in the presence of natural organic matter.

2025 Science Advances
Article Tier 2

Mechanically durable anti-bacteria non-fluorinated superhydrophobic sponge for highly efficient and fast microplastic and oil removal

A superhydrophobic sponge was engineered to selectively remove microplastics and oil from water, achieving high removal efficiency while also demonstrating antibacterial properties. The material maintained its performance across repeated use cycles, offering a promising approach for practical water treatment applications.

2022 Chemosphere 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Surface change of microplastics in aquatic environment and the removal by froth flotation assisted with cationic and anionic surfactants

This study found that microplastics become less water-repellent after months of sitting in natural river water due to surface weathering and mineral buildup, which makes them harder to remove by flotation methods. The researchers then showed that adding surfactants (soap-like chemicals) could restore the microplastics' water-repellent properties and make flotation effective again. This work advances practical methods for cleaning microplastics out of contaminated water.

2023 Water Research 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Thermoresponsive Mucin-Inspired Polymers as a Sustainable Water Treatment Technology

Researchers developed amphiphilic bottlebrush copolymers based on oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylate that self-assemble into micelles and undergo reversible temperature-triggered sol-gel-syneresis transitions, enabling efficient capture and concentration of nanoplastics from aqueous systems as a sustainable water treatment strategy.

2025