Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

A fluorescence indicator for source discrimination between microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter and aquatic natural organic matter

Fluorescence analysis of dissolved organic matter leached from expanded polystyrene, PVC, and PET microplastics was used to identify a unique optical signature that could distinguish microplastic-derived DOM from natural organic matter in aquatic environments.

2021 Water Research 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Dissolved organic matter proxies for tracing microplastics and phthalates in urbanized rivers: Fluorescence and molecular insights

Researchers proposed dissolved organic matter fluorescence proxies as effective tracers for microplastic and phthalate contamination in urbanized rivers, validating the approach in China's Haihe River and multiple global urban waterways by linking protein-like DOM increases from wastewater discharge to co-occurring plastic pollutants.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Changes in Fluorescence of Aquatic Dissolved Organic Matter Induced by Plastic Debris

Researchers investigated how plastic debris influences fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in freshwater, contaminating river and tap water samples under controlled laboratory conditions and assessing bacterial proliferation via fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and flow cytometry. The study found that plastic-derived FDOM affected the dissolved-particulate organic matter continuum and altered bacterial cell proliferation, demonstrating that fluorescence spectroscopy can effectively identify plastic FDOM in water samples of various origins.

2025 Materials
Article Tier 2

Spectroscopic Tracking of the Characteristics of Microplastic-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter

This study used fluorescence spectroscopy to track dissolved organic matter leaching from polyethylene, PVC, and other plastic types over time, finding that different polymers release distinct dissolved organic matter compositions with varying potential to affect aquatic ecosystems.

2023 Separations 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescence Signatures of Dissolved Organic Matter Leached from Microplastics: Polymers and Additives

Researchers used fluorescence analysis to characterize the dissolved organic matter that leaches from common microplastics like PVC and polystyrene, as well as from additives like phthalates and bisphenol A. They found that UV light exposure accelerated the leaching process and identified distinct fluorescence signatures linked to specific plastic types and additives. The study highlights an overlooked pathway by which microplastics release chemical compounds into aquatic environments.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 333 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter and its binding with pharmaceuticals unveiled by fluorescence spectroscopy and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy

Researchers characterized dissolved organic matter released by microplastics during UV-driven aging and examined how it interacts with pharmaceutical compounds. They found that aged polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene microplastics release fluorescent organic substances that can bind with antibiotics like chloramphenicol and carbamazepine. The study suggests that microplastic degradation byproducts may influence the environmental fate and transport of pharmaceutical pollutants in water.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter in freshwater: Effects of light irradiation and polymer types

Researchers examined how different types of microplastics release dissolved organic matter into freshwater under light and dark conditions. They found that polypropylene released the most organic compounds after UV exposure, while protein-like substances were the main material released by most plastics in the dark. The study indicates that microplastics may have ongoing, long-term effects on water chemistry and microbial activity in natural water bodies.

2024 Environment International 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Optical measurement technologies for detecting low levels of pollution and identifying microplastics in water

Researchers reviewed optical technologies for detecting and identifying microplastics in water, experimentally characterizing the fluorescence spectra of PE and PET microplastic samples under 365 nm excitation and identifying spectral bands enabling identification of different polymer types, then proposing a comprehensive hardware solution using a fluorescent probe for microplastic visualization.

2024
Article Tier 2

Detection and Characterisation of Micro- and Nano-plastics in Water using Optical Spectroscopy

This thesis explored photoluminescence spectroscopy as an alternative technique for detecting and characterizing micro- and nanoplastics in water, optimizing fluorescence excitation-emission features and comparing performance against conventional spectroscopic approaches.

2025 Aston Publications Explorer (Aston University)
Article Tier 2

Effects of defined organic layers on the fluorescence lifetime of plastic materials

Researchers measured how defined organic coating layers—simulating environmental weathering—affect the fluorescence lifetime of plastic materials, finding that organic layers alter fluorescence signals in ways that could be exploited for faster detection of microplastics in complex environmental matrices.

2025 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Phototransformation and photoreactivity of MPs-DOM in aqueous environment: Key role of MPs structure decoded by optical and molecular signatures

Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter released from microplastics behaves during light-driven transformation in water. They found that organic matter from benzene-containing polymers showed distinctly different photoreactivity compared to matter from polyolefin-based plastics. The study reveals that the chemical structure of the parent microplastic plays a key role in determining how its dissolved byproducts react and generate reactive species in aquatic environments.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Reliable River Microplastic Monitoring Using Innovative Fluorescence Dyes—A Case Study

Researchers monitored microplastic concentrations (≥10 µm) in three German rivers using fluorescent staining-based detection, finding highly heterogeneous distributions ranging from 4 to 1761 MP/L and pronounced temporal fluctuations linked to weather events and changing inputs, with the Rehbach showing the highest mean concentration at 540 ± 476 MP/L.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Copper-binding properties of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter revealed by fluorescence spectroscopy and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from different types of microplastics was characterized for its ability to bind copper ions, using fluorescence spectroscopy. Microplastic-derived DOM showed significant copper-binding capacity that varied by polymer type, suggesting that microplastic leachate can influence heavy metal speciation and bioavailability in aquatic environments.

2020 Water Research 145 citations
Article Tier 2

Frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy: A new method to directly identify microplastics in water.

Researchers evaluated frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) as a method to identify ABS, PC, PET, PS, and PVC granulates directly in a 1 cm water layer without filtration or drying. The study found that all five polymer types could be unambiguously identified by their fluorescence lifetimes, establishing FD-FLIM as a promising rapid label-free technique for direct microplastic detection in aqueous samples.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter and its biogeochemical behaviors in aquatic environments: A review

This review examines how microplastics release dissolved organic matter (MP-DOM) as they break down in water, and how these released chemicals affect water ecosystems. MP-DOM can interact with other pollutants and alter carbon cycling in natural waters, with the type and amount varying based on plastic composition and weathering conditions. Understanding what microplastics release into water as they degrade is important because these dissolved chemicals may have their own toxic effects on aquatic life and water quality.

2024 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction of biosolids-derived dissolved organic matter with microplastics: EEM analysis

Researchers used excitation-emission matrix fluorescence analysis to investigate interactions between biosolids-derived dissolved organic matter and microplastics in agricultural soils, addressing the knowledge gap created by prior studies relying on commercial humic acids rather than polydisperse DOM from real organic amendments.

2024
Article Tier 2

Coupling electrochemical and spectroscopic methods for river water dissolved organic matter characterization

Researchers combined electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with traditional light-based methods to better characterize dissolved organic matter in river water — organic compounds that interact with pollutants including microplastics. The integrated approach revealed patterns in organic matter composition that optical methods alone would miss, offering a more complete picture of water quality.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

In Situ Fluorescent Illumination of Microplastics in Water Utilizing a Combination of Dye/Surfactant and Quenching Techniques

Researchers developed an in situ fluorescent microplastic detection method using a nonpolar dye combined with surfactant to form nanoscale dye particles that selectively adsorb onto and penetrate plastic polymer matrices in water, then quenched free dye fluorescence using aniline to enable direct visualization of stained microplastics without filtration.

2022 Polymers 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Source-specific quantification of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter in sludge liquor using δ13C-labeled sludge and isotopic fingerprinting under varying conditioning treatments

Source-specific dissolved organic matter released by microplastics was quantified and characterized, revealing that different polymer types leach distinct chemical profiles into water. These leachates can alter aquatic chemistry and microbial communities in ways specific to the plastic source.

2025 Water Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in urban New Jersey freshwaters: distribution, chemical identification, and biological affects

Researchers characterized microplastics in the heavily urbanized Raritan and Passaic Rivers in New Jersey, identifying polymer types at 15 sites using pyrolysis-GC/MS and finding that associated organic compounds can transfer between plastic and water phases, with embryonic zebrafish exposed to identified polymers showing physiological effects.

2017 AIMS environmental science 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic leachates in farmland: impact of acid rain on DOM characteristics and metal release

Researchers investigated how varying acid rain conditions affect the leaching of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and heavy metals from microplastics commonly found in agricultural soils, characterizing leachate physicochemical properties and three-dimensional fluorescence profiles and finding that acid rain intensity significantly altered contaminant release patterns.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts
Article Tier 2

Review of decisive factors for controlling generation and environmental effect of dissolved organic matter from (micro)plastics.

This review examines the composition, formation mechanisms, and environmental risks of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from plastics, identifying key controlling factors such as UV irradiation, temperature, and microbial activity, and assessing DOM's potential ecological impacts including toxicity and facilitation of contaminant transport.

2025 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

Deciphering fluorescent and molecular fingerprint of dissolved organic matter leached from microplastics in water

Scientists studied how different types of microplastics release dissolved organic matter into water, finding that UV sunlight dramatically increased the release from PET plastics by 25 times over seven days. The chemical fingerprint of the released compounds differed between PET and polyethylene plastics, with UV exposure making PET compounds harder to break down. This research matters because these leached chemicals can change water quality and may carry additional health risks beyond the plastic particles themselves.

2023 Water Research 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Photo-induced leaching behaviors and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter from microplastics and terrestrial-sourced particles

Researchers studied how light exposure causes microplastics and terrestrial particles to leach dissolved organic matter, and how this leachate behaves in the environment. The study found differences in the biodegradability of leachate from plastic versus natural sources, suggesting that microplastic-derived organic matter may persist differently in aquatic ecosystems.

2024 Chemosphere 18 citations