Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Fabrication and characterization of (fluorescent) model nanoplastics for polymer specific detection

Scientists developed fluorescently labeled model nanoplastics that mimic the properties of real plastic particles, enabling polymer-specific identification at very small scales. These standardized reference particles are a key research tool because nanoplastics are otherwise extremely difficult to detect and characterize in environmental samples.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A Simple Spectral Method for Nanoplastic Identification and Characterisation

Researchers developed a fluorescence mapping method using Nile Red staining to locate, quantify, and identify polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics down to 60 nm in size, overcoming the diffraction limits of conventional spectroscopy. Verification by scanning electron microscopy confirmed the technique can resolve individual nanoplastics of different types and sizes in complex real-world samples containing contaminant and additive nanoparticles.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoluminescence‐Based Techniques for the Detection of Micro‐ and Nanoplastics

This review examined photoluminescence-based techniques for detecting micro- and nanoplastics, evaluating fluorescent labeling and spectroscopic methods as promising approaches to address the challenge of identifying plastic particles at the smallest scales.

2021 Chemistry - A European Journal 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Excitation–Emission Fluorescence Mapping Analysis of Microplastics That Are Typically Pollutants

Researchers introduced a two-dimensional fluorescence excitation-emission mapping method for identifying common microplastics including polystyrene, PET, and polypropylene. Unlike conventional fluorescence approaches that use a single excitation wavelength, this technique captures spectral fingerprints across a range of wavelengths for more reliable identification. The method offers a non-destructive, label-free alternative for detecting microplastic contamination.

2024 Photochem 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Spectro‐Microscopic Techniques for Studying Nanoplastics in the Environment and in Organisms

This review examines spectro-microscopic techniques for detecting and characterizing nanoplastics (under 1 um) in environmental and biological matrices, arguing that effective analysis requires combining particle imaging with chemical characterization of the same particles, and highlighting methods capable of simultaneous morphological and chemical identification.

2022 Angewandte Chemie 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymer Sorting Through Fluorescence Spectra

Identifying which type of plastic a particle is made of is a key step in microplastics research, and this study explored using fluorescence spectroscopy as a faster, cheaper alternative to standard methods. By exposing six common polymers to different light wavelengths and analyzing their fluorescence signatures, the researchers found combinations of wavelengths that could reliably distinguish between plastics like polystyrene, polyamide, and polypropylene. This technique could streamline polymer identification in large-scale environmental monitoring programs.

2025 Bioengineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Labelling of micro- and nanoplastics for environmental studies: state-of-the-art and future challenges

Researchers reviewed labelling techniques used to track micro- and nanoplastics in environmental studies, categorizing them into fluorescent, metal, stable isotope, and radioisotope methods. The study found that fluorescent labelling works well for tracking microplastics while metal labelling is more sensitive for nanoplastics research, though a major challenge remains in developing techniques that do not alter the inherent properties of the plastic particles being studied.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Single particle-resolution fluorescence microscopy of nanoplastics

Researchers developed a fluorescence microscopy technique capable of imaging and identifying individual nanoplastic particles. The method enables single-particle resolution detection of nanoplastics, which is a key step toward better quantifying these otherwise invisible particles in environmental samples.

2020 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Illuminating the Invisible: Fluorescent Probes as Emerging Tools for Micro/Nanoplastic Identification

This review traces the development of fluorescent probes for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in environmental samples, from early hydrophobic stains to advanced molecular designs with improved selectivity. Researchers found that newer probe technologies offer significant advantages in sensitivity and throughput compared to conventional detection methods like FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The study highlights remaining challenges including standardizing protocols across different environmental matrices and improving detection of the smallest nanoplastic particles.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fabrication and characterization of (fluorescent) model nanoplastics for polymer specific detection

This study developed and characterized fluorescent model nanoplastics that can be tracked and identified by polymer type, providing standardized reference particles for laboratory research. Reliable model nanoplastics are critical tools for toxicology experiments — without them, it is difficult to compare results across studies or understand which plastic types pose the greatest biological risk.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Marker Materials and Spectroscopic Methods for Tracer-Based Sorting of Plastic Wastes

Researchers evaluated fluorescent and photoluminescent marker materials for tracer-based sorting of plastic waste, finding that spectroscopic detection methods could enable more precise identification of polymer types to improve recycling rates.

2022 Polymers 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Spectro‐Microscopic Techniques for Studying Nanoplastics in the Environment and in Organisms

This review examined spectro-microscopic techniques available for detecting and studying nanoplastics in environmental and biological samples. The study highlights that detecting nanoplastics remains challenging because their small size falls below the detection limits of common analytical tools, and their chemical composition is similar to organic matrices, making identification difficult.

2022 Angewandte Chemie International Edition 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent plastic nanoparticles to track their interaction and fate in physiological environments

This study developed fluorescently labeled plastic nanoparticles made from PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene that can be tracked in biological environments to study how nanoplastics are taken up and processed by living organisms. Having trackable model nanoplastics is an important tool for understanding how these particles move through tissues and food chains.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Nanoplastics by Probing the Viscous Nanoenvironment

Researchers developed a cationic fluorescent probe that detects nanoplastics by sensing the viscous nanoenvironment surrounding them rather than reacting with the particle surface, enabling sensitive detection of nanoplastics without relying on conventional reactive functional groups.

2025 Small Science
Article Tier 2

Classification of (micro)plastics using cathodoluminescence and machine learning

Researchers combined scanning electron microscopy with cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and machine learning to classify six common plastic types including HDPE, LDPE, PP, PA, PS, and PET at the nanoscale. Each plastic type produced a unique cathodoluminescence signature enabling classification of micro- and nanoplastics too small for conventional infrared or Raman spectroscopy.

2022 Talanta 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Autofluorescence of Model Polyethylene Terephthalate Nanoplastics for Cell Interaction Studies

Researchers produced model PET nanoplastics through mechanical fragmentation and characterized their autofluorescence properties, enabling label-free tracking of nanoplastic interactions with biological systems without the artifacts introduced by fluorescent dyes.

2022 Nanomaterials 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent Tagging of Polymer Particles with PBN for the Detection of Microplastics in Personal Care Goods

Researchers used fluorescent labeling to detect microplastic particles in personal care products, a common but undermonitored source of plastic pollution. The method proved effective for identifying small polymer particles in consumer goods.

2021 Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Labeling of PET and PP nanoplastic test materials with non-leachable π-conjugated fluorescent polymers

Researchers produced fluorescently labeled PET and PP nanoplastic particles using co-precipitation with a conjugated polymer dye, achieving over 85% dye internalization and submicron particle sizes, and demonstrated their use for measuring cell uptake while overcoming dosimetry challenges posed by buoyant particles.

2026
Article Tier 2

A Review of Spectroscopic Techniques used for the Quantification and Classification of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Environment

This review evaluates spectroscopic techniques — including Raman, FTIR, NIR, ICP-MS, fluorescence, X-ray, and NMR — for identifying and quantifying microplastics and nanoplastics in environmental and biological matrices, covering methodologies, sample handling, and applications.

2024 Spectroscopy 5 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

Current techniques for identifying, quantifying, and characterizing micro and nanoplastics with emphasis on strengths, limitations, and challenges

Researchers reviewed current analytical techniques for identifying, quantifying, and characterizing micro- and nanoplastics across environmental matrices. The review highlights the strengths and limitations of methods including FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and pyrolysis-GC/MS, and calls for standardization to improve comparability across studies.

2025 Discover Environment
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic Labelling with Metal Probes: Analytical Strategies for Their Sensitive Detection and Quantification by ICP Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed metal probe labelling strategies to enable sensitive detection and quantification of nanoplastics by ICP mass spectrometry, overcoming the challenge that nanoplastics are too small and carbon-rich for conventional analytical techniques to distinguish.

2021 Molecules 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Material-Specific Determination Based on Microscopic Observation of Single Microplastic Particles Stained with Fluorescent Dyes

Researchers developed a fluorescence-based technique using commercially available fluorescent dyes to identify the material composition of individual microplastic particles under microscopy, offering a faster first-screening alternative to FT-IR and Raman microspectroscopy. The method was validated on common microplastic types and demonstrated as a practical tool for material-specific determination without requiring specialized spectral expertise.

2022 Sensors 16 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