Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics from Wearable Bioelectronic Devices: Sources, Risks, and Sustainable Solutions

This review highlights that polymer-based wearable bioelectronic devices — such as electronic skins used in continuous health monitoring — can shed microplastics during use, and calls for sustainable polymer design strategies to address this overlooked emission source.

2025 Advanced Functional Materials
Article Tier 2

Cellulose nanofiber-based electrode as a component of an enzyme-catalyzed biofuel cell

Researchers developed a flexible, biodegradable biofuel cell using cellulose nanofiber electrodes as a plastic-free alternative for wearable sensors. The device performed comparably to plastic-based equivalents and is readily disposable like paper, offering a path toward reducing microplastic contamination from disposable electronic devices.

2020 RSC Advances 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Fabrication of surface embedded silver cellulose-based flexible transparent electrodes by self-assembly

Researchers fabricated flexible transparent electrodes by embedding silver nanowire networks within the surface layer of cellulose derived from waste corn straw, creating sustainable, biodegradable alternatives to conventional electronic components suitable for reel-to-reel processing.

2024 BioResources
Article Tier 2

Fabrics and Garments as Sensors: A Research Update

This review examines the latest research on smart fabrics and garments that incorporate sensors for monitoring physiological or environmental parameters, covering advances in fiber-based electronics, wearable health monitors, and environmental sensing textiles. The work is peripherally relevant to microplastics research as the field explores how textile technology could be redesigned to reduce fiber shedding.

2019 Sensors 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Universal Approach to Integrating Reduced Graphene Oxide into Polymer Electronics

This paper is not about microplastics; it describes a laser-based method for integrating reduced graphene oxide into thermoplastic polymer coatings to create flexible, electrically conductive materials for wearable electronics.

2023 Polymers 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellulose-Based Conductive Materials for Energy and Sensing Applications

This review covers conductive materials made from cellulose, a natural plant-based polymer, for use in batteries, sensors, and wearable electronics. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because cellulose-based materials are biodegradable alternatives to plastic components in electronics, which eventually break down into microplastics. Developing sustainable materials like these could help reduce the flow of plastic waste into the environment.

2023 Polymers 49 citations
Article Tier 2

A Paper‐Based Triboelectric Touch Interface: Toward Fully Green and Recyclable Internet of Things

Researchers developed a fully paper-based triboelectric touch sensor using cellulose materials, creating a biodegradable electronic interface that avoids the plastic waste typically associated with conventional touch technology.

2022 Advanced Sensor Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Washable PEDOT:PSS Coated Polyester with Submicron Sized Fibers for Wearable Technologies

Researchers developed PEDOT:PSS-coated polyester submicron fibers that maintain conductivity through domestic washing cycles, using plasma pre-treatment and ethylene glycol doping to improve adhesion and sheet resistance, making them promising candidates for washable smart textile applications.

2023 ACS Omega 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrochemical and physicochemical degradability evaluation of printed flexible carbon electrodes in seawater

Researchers developed a biodegradable, graphite-based electrode printed on a plant-derived plastic that can monitor water quality and dissolves quickly in seawater after use, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional sensor materials that leave behind non-degradable plastic and metal pollution.

2022 Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Ultra-Stretchable Interconnects for High-Density Stretchable Electronics

This engineering paper presents fabrication methods for ultra-stretchable electrical interconnects at microscale dimensions for use in flexible electronics and wearable medical devices. It is a technical electronics paper with no direct connection to microplastics or environmental health.

2017 Micromachines 22 citations
Article Tier 2

A Plant Bioreactor for the Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube Bionic Nanocomposites

Researchers grew carboxylated carbon nanotubes inside living plant roots to create a bionic composite material by exploiting natural plant transport processes. This is a nanotechnology and materials science paper not related to environmental microplastics.

2020 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellulose Nanofiber Platform for Electrochemical Sensor Device: Impedance Measurement Characterization and Its Application for Ethanol Gas Sensor

This review evaluates the evidence for microplastic-associated health risks in humans, synthesizing data from occupational exposure studies, in vitro toxicology, and dietary intake estimates. The authors conclude that current evidence warrants precautionary action, particularly for respiratory and gut exposure routes.

2022 Teknomekanik 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Flexible, Transparent, and Microfluidic-Compatible Wafer-Scale Metamaterial Sheets for Dual SEF and SERS Sensing

A flexible, transparent, and microfluidic-compatible sensor fabricated at the wafer scale was developed for detecting particles in water, with applications for microplastic detection. The device advances miniaturized, on-chip analysis of microplastics suitable for integration into portable monitoring tools.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Coordinating the pore size of paper substrates and aspect ratio of silver nanowires to improve printed electronics

Researchers investigated how coordinating paper substrate pore size with silver nanowire aspect ratio improves printed electronics performance, developing paper-based substrates as biodegradable replacements for PET plastic in low-cost sensors to reduce micro- and nanoplastic pollution from discarded electronic devices.

2024 Flexible and Printed Electronics
Article Tier 2

Harnessing biomaterials for advanced biosensor and bioelectronic devices development: From natural chromophores to biodegradable substrates and peptide-based detection of nanoplastics

Researchers developed biosensors using natural materials like grape-derived pigments, cellulose-silk substrates, and enzyme-derived peptides to detect environmental pollutants including nanoplastics. The peptide-based sensor was able to detect polystyrene nanoplastics with high sensitivity. The work demonstrates that sustainable, biomaterial-based sensors could serve as practical tools for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in the environment.

2025 MRS Advances 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon-Ink Sensing Patterns for a Contactless Smart Diaper System

Not relevant to microplastics — this is an engineering study presenting carbon-ink printed sensors for smart diapers that can detect wetness wirelessly in nursing home care settings.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

LIGHT TISSUE: Development of cellulose-based optical textile sensors

Researchers developed cellulose-based optical fiber textile sensors for use in smart garments, exploring biobased alternatives to synthetic plastic optical fibers that can transmit light for sensing applications while reducing the environmental impact and microplastic pollution potential of electronic textiles.

2023 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Life is Plastic? Detecting the Presence of Micro-Plastics in Food and Drink Containers

Researchers developed a novel wearable optical sensing system to detect the presence of microplastics in food and drink containers. The study highlights that humans may ingest significant quantities of microplastic fragments weekly, and demonstrates a low-cost approach using micro-controllers and signal processing for real-time microplastic detection.

2024 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Shellac-paper composite as a green substrate for printed electronics

Researchers developed a shellac-paper composite substrate as a biodegradable alternative to plastic films for printed electronics, demonstrating comparable electrical performance while avoiding the microplastic pollution generated by conventional polyethylene terephthalate substrates.

2022 Flexible and Printed Electronics 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Biomass‐Derived Transparent Bamboo Composite Films with Europium‐Based Photoconversion for Energy‐Efficient Smart Agriculture

Despite its title referencing sustainable agricultural films, this paper studies a bamboo-derived transparent composite film embedded with a luminescent compound that converts UV light into red light for plant growth — not microplastic pollution. It examines the optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of this photoactive material and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Energy & environment materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Toward Continuous Nano-Plastic Monitoring in Water by High Frequency Impedance Measurement With Nano-Electrode Arrays

Researchers explored high-frequency impedance measurements using CMOS nano-electrode arrays as a potential tool for real-time, label-free monitoring of nanoplastic particles in water, demonstrating nano-scale detection capability with potential for continuous environmental monitoring.

2023 IEEE Sensors Journal 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Design, fabrication, and application of electrochemical sensors for microplastic detection: a state-of-the-art review and future perspectives

This review covers recent advances in electrochemical sensors for detecting microplastics in environmental samples, which offer advantages in sensitivity and portability over conventional laboratory methods. Researchers highlight strategies using nanomaterials, molecular imprinting, and surface-enhanced techniques to improve detection capabilities. The study suggests that electrochemical sensors represent a promising path toward affordable, rapid, on-site monitoring of microplastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Smart E-Textiles: Overview of Components and Outlook

This review provides a comprehensive overview of smart electronic textiles (e-textiles), examining their key components including conductive fibers, sensors, and energy harvesting systems. The study highlights the gap between academic research and commercial viability, and discusses environmental concerns related to synthetic textile fibers and their potential to shed microplastic particles.

2022 Sensors 72 citations
Article Tier 2

The exploitation of bio-electrochemical system and microplastics removal: Possibilities and perspectives

This review explores bio-electrochemical systems as a sustainable alternative for removing microplastics from water, since current removal methods are costly, energy-intensive, and can release toxic chemicals. Bio-electrochemical systems use microorganisms to generate electricity while simultaneously treating wastewater, offering a cleaner approach. Though still in early research stages, this technology could provide an efficient and environmentally friendly way to reduce microplastic contamination in water supplies.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations