Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Coumarin 6 staining method to detect microplastics

Researchers developed a fluorescence staining method using coumarin 6 dye to detect microplastics, offering a simpler and lower-cost detection approach compared to spectroscopic methods while maintaining adequate specificity for identifying plastic particles in environmental samples.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Labeling Microplastics with Fluorescent Dyes for Detection, Recovery, and Degradation Experiments

Researchers optimized fluorescent dye staining protocols for labeling 17 different plastic polymer types using four textile dyes and Nile red for detection, recovery, and degradation experiments. Dye performance varied significantly by polymer type and staining conditions, and standardized protocols were recommended to improve comparability across microplastic studies.

2022 Molecules 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of an Inexpensive and Comparable Microplastic Detection Method Using Fluorescent Staining with Novel Nile Red Derivatives

Researchers developed an inexpensive fluorescent staining method using novel Nile Red derivatives for microplastic detection, validating it by measuring microplastics in German wastewater treatment plant effluent over one year with improved precision and selectivity.

2023 Analytica—A Journal of Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Analysis 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-staining microplastics with Nile Red and Rose Bengal for improved optical quantification

A co-staining protocol using both Nile Red and Rose Bengal fluorescent dyes was developed and validated for improved optical detection of microplastics, showing that dual staining outperforms single-dye approaches by reducing false positives and improving quantification accuracy in complex environmental samples.

2025 Scientific Reports 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Modification of fluorescence staining method for small-sized microplastic quantification: Focus on the interference exclusion and exposure time optimization

Researchers optimized a Nile Red/DAPI fluorescence co-staining method for quantifying small microplastics, identifying key interference factors and exposure time parameters that significantly improve accuracy of microplastic detection.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 11 citations
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

A cost-effective and efficient fluorescence staining agent for the identification of microplastics in environmental samples and zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Researchers identified and validated a cost-effective fluorescent staining agent for labeling microplastic particles in environmental samples, demonstrating that the dye provided high specificity for plastic polymers with minimal background fluorescence in complex matrices.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic detection and identification by Nile red staining: Towards a semi-automated, cost- and time-effective technique

Researchers developed a semi-automated, cost-effective method for microplastic detection using Nile red fluorescent staining, showing it can significantly reduce the time and expense of identifying microplastics compared to traditional spectroscopic approaches.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 176 citations
Article Tier 2

What have we known so far for fluorescence staining and quantification of microplastics: A tutorial review

This tutorial review summarizes methods for staining and counting microplastics using fluorescent dyes, covering the full workflow from sample collection to quantification. Researchers evaluated which dyes and procedures work best for different types of plastic polymers and environmental samples. The study provides practical guidance for researchers looking for faster and more accessible ways to measure microplastic contamination.

2021 Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Rhodamine B dye staining for visualizing microplastics in laboratory-based studies

Researchers evaluated Rhodamine B dye staining as a technique for visualizing and tracking microplastics in laboratory studies, finding that the fluorescent stain effectively labels a range of polymer types and improves detection sensitivity in complex matrices while maintaining particle integrity for subsequent analysis.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of selective fluorescence for the characterization of microplastic fibers: Use of a Nile Red-based analytical method to compare between natural and synthetic fibers

Researchers developed a Nile Red fluorescence method to distinguish natural from synthetic microplastic fibers, demonstrating that selective fluorescence staining combined with spectral analysis can improve identification accuracy for fiber-type microplastics across different environments.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent Dyes for Visualizing Microplastic Particles and Fibers in Laboratory-Based Studies

Researchers developed a heat-mediated dyeing protocol that allows fluorescent dyes to be stably incorporated into a variety of microplastic types and shapes for use in laboratory tracking experiments. The method works across multiple common polymer types and particle morphologies, extending the tool beyond the polystyrene spheres that have dominated previous studies. The protocol enables researchers to better study the environmental fate and biological uptake of realistically shaped microplastics.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 195 citations
Article Tier 2

A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red

Researchers developed a rapid fluorescent screening method using Nile Red dye to detect and quantify microplastics in environmental samples, finding it significantly faster than conventional methods while maintaining reasonable accuracy.

2017 Scientific Reports 897 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and quantification of microplastics using Nile Red staining

Researchers tested Nile Red staining as a method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples, finding it useful for rapid screening but noting limitations in distinguishing plastics from non-plastic particles.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 579 citations
Article Tier 2

Staining methodologies for microplastics screening

This review examines different staining methods scientists use to detect and count microplastics in environmental samples. Accurate detection methods matter because reliably measuring how many microplastics are present in food, water, and air is the first step toward understanding how much humans are actually exposed to.

2024 TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential of fluorescent dyes—comparative study of Nile red and three derivatives for the detection of microplastics

Researchers compared Nile red and three newly developed fluorescent dye derivatives for staining microplastics, finding that the derivatives achieved greater selectivity for plastic particles and more intense fluorescence than standard Nile red, improving detection sensitivity.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 106 citations
Article Tier 2

Modification of a Nile Red Staining Method for Microplastics Analysis: A Nile Red Plate Method

Researchers developed a modified Nile Red staining method — the 'Nile Red plate method' (NR-P) — in which plates are pre-coated with Nile Red dye rather than staining microplastics directly, overcoming limitations of the standard method when organic matter residues interfere with particle staining. They optimised the NR solution concentration at 1000 mg/L and confirmed the method's effectiveness across multiple common polymer types.

2020 Water 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Facile detection of microplastics from a variety of environmental samples with conjugated polymer nanoparticles

Researchers developed a quick and straightforward method for detecting microplastics in environmental samples using fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles. The technique can identify microplastic particles across a range of sample types without requiring complex laboratory equipment. This approach could make microplastic monitoring more accessible and practical for routine environmental testing.

2024 Environmental Science Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent technique to detect microplastics in a natural matrix using Methylene blue and Nile red

Researchers tested methylene blue fluorescent staining as a low-cost technique for detecting microplastics in complex natural matrices such as sediment and biological tissue, finding the method provided sufficient contrast for visual identification without requiring expensive spectroscopic equipment.

2025 Biotechnic & Histochemistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Results From Detection of Microplastics in Liquid Samples Using Flow Cytometry

Researchers developed a novel flow cytometry approach for in-situ detection and quantification of microplastics in liquid samples using fluorescent staining, testing nine polymer types under controlled laboratory conditions. The method offers a high-throughput alternative to traditional time-consuming microplastic detection protocols that risk sample contamination.

2020 Frontiers in Marine Science 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Fast Forward: Optimized Sample Preparation and Fluorescent Staining for Microplastic Detection

Researchers optimized a fluorescent dye-based protocol for detecting microplastics in environmental samples, cutting total processing time to under three hours while achieving recovery rates of 93–102% across multiple polymer types. The method was validated against wastewater treatment plant effluents over the long term, offering a faster and more standardized tool that could help harmonize microplastic monitoring data across labs and support regulatory limit-setting.

2023 Microplastics 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Nile Red-Stained Microplastics through Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Researchers developed an improved method for characterizing microplastics using Nile Red fluorescent staining combined with fluorescence spectroscopy. They found that different plastic polymers produce distinct fluorescent signatures when stained, enabling more reliable identification of plastic types. The technique offers a faster and more affordable alternative to traditional microplastic detection methods, which could help scale up environmental monitoring efforts.

2024 Preprints.org 3 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

Dyeing to Know: Optimizing Solvents for Nile Red Fluorescence in Microplastics Analysis

Researchers investigated how the choice of solvent affects Nile Red fluorescence staining for microplastic identification, optimizing solvent conditions to improve the reliability of fluorescence-based classification of microplastic polymer types in environmental samples.

2024