Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

High-speed scanless entire bandwidth mid-infrared chemical imaging

Researchers developed a high-speed mid-infrared chemical imaging technique using ultrafast laser pulses that can capture a full spectrum image in 8 seconds across a wide chemical fingerprint range — far faster than existing methods. This advance enables rapid identification of different materials in complex samples like microfluidic devices, plant cells, and biological tissue, with strong potential for detecting chemical pollutants including microplastics.

2023 Nature Communications 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Fast Detection and Classification of Microplastics by a Wide-Field Fourier Transform Raman Microscope

Researchers developed a new wide-field Raman microscope that can rapidly detect and identify microplastic particles with high spatial and chemical accuracy. The instrument can image a large sample area in about 15 minutes and identify particles down to roughly one micrometer in size. The technology was validated on microplastics from seawater and biological samples, offering a faster alternative to existing detection methods.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Application of High-Resolution Near-Infrared Imaging Spectroscopy to Detect Microplastic Particles in Different Environmental Compartments

Researchers enhanced a lab-based near-infrared imaging spectroscopy setup with a microscopic lens to detect microplastic particles as small as 100 micrometers across multiple environmental sample types, significantly speeding up analysis compared to traditional methods. Faster, semi-automated detection tools are essential for scaling up environmental monitoring of microplastics, which currently requires labor-intensive laboratory work.

2023 Water Air & Soil Pollution 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Unlabeled Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Tissue by Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated that a new imaging technique called O-PTIR spectroscopy can detect unlabeled plastic particles as small as 200 nanometers inside mammalian tissues without damaging the samples. Combined with machine learning for faster analysis, this method significantly outperforms traditional infrared spectroscopy for finding nanoplastics in biological tissue. Better detection tools like this are essential for understanding how much plastic actually accumulates in human organs.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Optical photothermal infrared spectroscopic assessment of microplastics in tissue models and non-digested human tissue sections

Researchers developed a method using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to detect and map microplastics directly within tissue sections without requiring chemical or enzymatic digestion. The study suggests this approach preserves spatial information about where microplastics are located within tissue architecture, overcoming a key limitation of conventional digestion-based methods that can lose some particles.

2026 The Analyst
Article Tier 2

An aberration-free line scan confocal Raman imager and type classification and distribution detection of microplastics

Researchers developed an advanced Raman imaging system that can identify and classify microplastics as small as 1 micrometer in diameter with 98% accuracy, working about 100 times faster than traditional methods. The system can also detect harmful chemical residues like phthalate plasticizers on microplastic surfaces. Faster and more accurate detection tools like this are essential for understanding the full scope of microplastic contamination in food and water and its potential impact on human health.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid and direct detection of small microplastics in aquatic samples by a new near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) method

Researchers developed a rapid near-infrared hyperspectral imaging method capable of detecting and chemically identifying small microplastics (down to a few hundred micrometers) in aquatic samples faster and with less labor than traditional spectroscopy approaches.

2020 Chemosphere 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in the Environment by Quantum Cascade Laser-Based Hyperspectral Infrared Chemical Imaging

Quantum cascade laser infrared microscopy was evaluated as a rapid method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples. The technique showed potential for faster polymer identification compared to conventional FTIR mapping, offering advantages for high-throughput microplastic monitoring.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Unlabeled Micro- and Nanoplastics in Unstained Tissue with Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated that optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy can detect unlabeled micro- and nanoplastics as small as 250 nanometers in mammalian tissue samples without staining or labeling. The technique significantly outperformed traditional FTIR spectroscopy in spatial resolution and signal quality when imaging particles in complex biological matrices. The study also introduced a semi-automated machine learning analysis to speed up detection, offering a powerful new tool for studying nanoplastic accumulation in tissues.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Improved method for rapid characterization of microplastics in environmental samples with QCL-IR based microscopy and micro spectroscopy (Conference Presentation)

Researchers presented a quantum cascade laser infrared (QCL-IR) microscopy method for rapidly characterizing microplastics in environmental samples. The approach combines spatial imaging with chemical identification to classify particles by size, shape, and polymer type faster than conventional FTIR microscopy. Improved throughput in microplastic characterization helps researchers process the large sample volumes needed for environmental monitoring studies.

2023
Article Tier 2

Rapid identification of micro and nanoplastics by line scan Raman micro-spectroscopy

Researchers developed a faster Raman spectroscopy tool for identifying microplastic particles by scanning a line rather than a single point at a time, improving imaging speed by 10 to 100 times over conventional methods. This allows the same chemical identification and size characterization of microplastics across large sample areas in a fraction of the time. Faster analysis methods are critical for processing the large numbers of samples needed in environmental monitoring programs.

2023 Talanta 14 citations
Article Tier 2

MicroplasticMass Estimation Using Two-DimensionalChemical Images from Quantum-Cascade Laser-Based Infrared Spectrometers

Researchers developed a method to estimate microplastic particle mass using two-dimensional chemical images from quantum cascade laser-based infrared microscopy, addressing the inability of standard spectroscopic imaging to provide particle mass data critical for toxicological assessment.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Mass Estimation Using Two-Dimensional Chemical Images from Quantum-Cascade Laser-Based Infrared Spectrometers

Researchers developed a method to estimate microplastic particle mass using two-dimensional chemical images from quantum cascade laser-based infrared microscopy, filling a gap in spectroscopic techniques that can characterize particles but not provide mass information relevant for toxicology.

2025 Analytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Signal Improved ultra-Fast Light-sheet Microscope (SIFT) for large tissue imaging

Researchers developed an improved light-sheet microscopy system that can image large tissue samples faster while maintaining high resolution. Advanced imaging tools like this are being adapted to detect and characterize microplastic particles lodged in biological tissues, which is important for assessing health impacts.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Label-Free Identification and Imaging of Microplastic and Nanoplastic Biouptake Using Optical Photothermal Infrared Microspectroscopy

Researchers developed a new imaging technique that can locate and identify microplastic and nanoplastic particles inside whole organisms without needing fluorescent labels. Using a method called optical photothermal infrared microscopy, they tracked polystyrene particles as small as 1 micrometer in roundworms. This tool could help scientists better understand how plastic particles are taken up by living things and where they accumulate in the body.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Classification and Quantification of Microplastics (<100 μm) Using a Focal Plane Array–Fourier Transform Infrared Imaging System and Machine Learning

Researchers developed a method using focal plane array Fourier transform infrared imaging to classify and quantify microplastics smaller than 100 micrometers. The technique allows simultaneous chemical identification and size measurement of individual particles across a filter sample, significantly improving throughput compared to manual analysis. The study demonstrates that automated spectroscopic imaging can reliably detect and categorize very small microplastics that are often missed by conventional methods.

2020 Analytical Chemistry 172 citations
Article Tier 2

An automated approach for microplastics analysis using focal plane array (FPA) FTIR microscopy and image analysis

Researchers developed an automated approach using focal plane array FT-IR spectroscopy for microplastic analysis, enabling faster and more comprehensive identification of particles in environmental samples with less manual effort.

2017 Analytical Methods 456 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman Spectroscopic Imaging of Human Bladder Resectates towards Intraoperative Cancer Assessment

Researchers used Raman spectroscopy imaging to distinguish between healthy and cancerous human bladder tissue without the need for chemical stains or labels. The technique successfully identified cancer regions in tissue samples from ten patients, using advanced data analysis to map molecular differences. While not directly related to microplastics, this spectroscopy method is also used in microplastic research and demonstrates the power of label-free chemical imaging in medical applications.

2023 Cancers 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Label-free nano- and microplastics detection in mammalian tissue by photothermal infrared spectroscopy

Researchers applied optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to detect and identify nano- and microplastics smaller than 1 µm in mammalian tissue sections without requiring labels or lengthy digestion protocols. The method successfully localized polystyrene particles in tissue samples with chemical specificity, offering a faster workflow for nanoplastic detection in biological matrices.

2025
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

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

Short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging of microplastics: Effects of chemical and physical processes on spectral signatures and detection capabilities

Researchers evaluated short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging for rapid microplastic detection and polymer identification, testing the effects of various physical and chemical weathering agents on spectral signatures and finding the technique effective for identifying multiple polymer types in complex samples.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering
Article Tier 2

An effective strategy for the monitoring of microplastics in complex aquatic matrices: Exploiting the potential of near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI)

Researchers developed a near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) method for rapid monitoring of microplastics in complex marine matrices, demonstrating effective detection and polymer identification that overcomes the time and cost limitations of conventional spectroscopic analysis approaches.

2021 Chemosphere 35 citations
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