Papers

61,005 results
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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

Applications of Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy in microbial cell biology and environmental microbiology: advances, challenges, and future perspectives

This review covers how Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is used in microbiology to identify microorganisms, study biofilms, and monitor environmental interactions. While not directly about microplastics, FT-IR is one of the primary tools scientists use to identify and measure microplastic contamination in environmental samples. The review discusses challenges and future directions that could improve microplastic detection accuracy.

2023 Frontiers in Microbiology 171 citations
Article Tier 2

Application of Infrared and Near-Infrared Microspectroscopy to Microplastic Human Exposure Measurements

This review evaluates how infrared and near-infrared microscopy techniques are being used to measure human exposure to microplastics from drinking water, dust, food, and air. Researchers found that while these spectroscopic tools are powerful for identifying plastic types and sizes, significant challenges remain in standardizing methods across different sample types. The study highlights that consistent, reliable exposure measurements are essential for understanding whether microplastic levels in everyday environments pose meaningful health risks.

2023 Applied Spectroscopy 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Worthwhile Relevance of Infrared Spectroscopy in Characterization of Samples and Concept of Infrared Spectroscopy-Based Synchrotron Radiation

This review examines the usefulness of infrared spectroscopy for characterizing a wide range of sample types, including plastics and environmental materials. It also introduces the concept of synchrotron radiation-based infrared spectroscopy as an advanced analytical tool for high-resolution material characterization.

2020 Journal of Spectroscopy 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Detection and Monitoring in Biological and Environmental Systems: A Mini Review of Techniques and Strategies

This mini review compares the major techniques used to detect and measure microplastics in both environmental and biological samples, including infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry methods. Researchers evaluated the strengths and limitations of each approach for identifying different types and sizes of microplastic particles. The study provides practical guidance for choosing the right detection method depending on the specific research question and sample type.

2025 International Journal of High Speed Electronics and Systems 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Contributions of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in microplastic pollution research: A review

This review covers advances in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques — including chemical imaging — for identifying polymer types in microplastic samples and tracing their fate in different environmental matrices.

2020 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 480 citations
Article Tier 2

Harmonizing infrared spectroscopic techniques for microplastic identification: a comparative evaluation of ATR and µFTIR transmission and reflection modes

Researchers systematically compared the performance of Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) and micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (muFTIR) in both transmission and reflection modes for identifying microplastics from twelve common real-world plastic products, providing guidance on optimizing spectroscopic technique selection.

2025
Article Tier 2

Advanced analytical techniques for microplastics in the environment: a review

Researchers reviewed the most advanced laboratory tools for detecting and identifying microplastics in environmental samples — including infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and pyrolysis gas chromatography — summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of each technique to help researchers choose the right method for accurate microplastic analysis.

2023 Bulletin of the National Research Centre/Bulletin of the National Research Center 56 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

Microplastics: Challenges, toxicity, spectroscopic and real-time detection methods

This review paper summarizes the challenges of detecting microplastics and the latest methods scientists use to find and identify them, including infrared, Raman, and fluorescence spectroscopy. It also covers the known toxic effects of microplastics on living organisms, including how they can carry harmful chemicals and pathogens. Better detection methods are important because understanding where microplastics are and what types are present is the first step toward assessing health risks.

2024 Applied Spectroscopy Reviews 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical tools in advancing microplastics research for identification and quantification across environmental media: from sample to insight

Researchers reviewed the analytical tools most commonly used for identifying and quantifying microplastics, focusing on FTIR and Raman spectroscopy as the two primary methods. The review compared their strengths and limitations and provided guidance for choosing between them based on particle size, sample matrix, and research objectives.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Influx of Near-Infrared Technology in Microplastic Community: A Bibliometric Analysis

This bibliometric analysis mapped the growing use of near-infrared spectroscopy for microplastic identification, finding it is emerging as a practical, portable alternative to FTIR spectroscopy for field-based polymer analysis.

2023 Microplastics 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in microplastic characterization: Spectroscopic techniques and heavy metal adsorption insights

This review covers the various techniques scientists use to identify and characterize microplastics and the heavy metals that stick to their surfaces, including infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. Understanding what types of plastics are present and what toxic metals they carry is essential for assessing the health risks of microplastic exposure.

2024 TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry 40 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

Analytical methods for microplastics in the environment: a review

Researchers reviewed classical and advanced analytical methods for detecting microplastics in the environment. The methods covered include visual analysis, electron microscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry, providing a comprehensive overview of available tools for microplastic identification and quantification.

2022 Environmental Chemistry Letters 276 citations
Article Tier 2

Recognition and detection technology for microplastic, its source and health effects

This review summarizes current knowledge about detecting microplastics and their effects on human health, covering methods like FTIR spectroscopy and Raman imaging. The authors highlight that micro- and nanoplastics can cause a range of health problems including oxidative stress, reduced reproductive ability, inflammation, and damage to the circulatory and respiratory systems. The review emphasizes the urgent need for better detection methods so that researchers and regulators can accurately assess how much microplastic people are actually exposed to.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 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

Microplastic pollution: a review of techniques to identify microplastics and their threats to the aquatic ecosystem

This review summarizes existing research on methods for identifying microplastics in water and their effects on aquatic ecosystems. The paper covers detection techniques like infrared and Raman spectroscopy and discusses how microplastics threaten aquatic organisms through ingestion and entanglement. Since these contaminated organisms enter the human food chain, the findings underscore why understanding aquatic microplastic pollution matters for human health.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics and nanoplastics in environmental water by AFM-IR

Scientists used a new technique called AFM-IR, which combines atomic force microscopy with infrared spectroscopy, to identify individual nanoplastic particles in environmental water for the first time. This method can detect particles as small as 100 nanometers, far beyond the limits of traditional microscopy. They found several types of nanoplastics in a water sample, including an epoxy and a biodegradable plastic, demonstrating that this tool could improve our ability to track nanoplastic pollution.

2025 Analytica Chimica Acta 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
Article Tier 2

Identification of microplastics by FTIR and Raman microscopy: a novel silicon filter substrate opens the important spectral range below 1300 cm−1 for FTIR transmission measurements

Researchers developed a new approach using silicon filters compatible with both FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy to identify microplastics in environmental samples. The silicon filter substrate allows transmission-mode IR imaging across the entire sample without manual pre-sorting, improving efficiency and reducing contamination risk.

2015 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 322 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating Microplastic Presence in Eye Drops Using Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, researchers detected microplastic particles ≥20 μm in commercial eye drops, finding evidence of plastic contamination in ophthalmic products and recommending further investigation into packaging sources.

2025 Cornea 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Advanced Optical Imaging Technologies for Microplastics Identification: Progress and Challenges

This review surveys advanced optical imaging technologies used to identify microplastics and nanoplastics in environmental samples. Researchers compared techniques like Raman spectroscopy, infrared imaging, and fluorescence microscopy, noting their strengths and limitations for detecting increasingly small particles. The study highlights that improving detection methods is essential for accurately monitoring the full scope of plastic pollution.

2024 Advanced Photonics Research 29 citations