Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Sequential combination of micro-FTIR imaging spectroscopy and pyrolysis-GC/MS for microplastic quantification. Application to river sediments

Researchers developed a protocol combining micro-FTIR imaging and pyrolysis-GC/MS for sequential microplastic analysis in river sediments. While both methods showed consistent total mass concentrations across sites, they found discrepancies in polymer proportions due to each method's specific limitations, providing practical recommendations for comparing results across different analytical approaches.

2025 Analytical Methods 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastic traces in four different types of municipal wastewater treatment plants through FT-IR and TED-GC-MS

Researchers detected microplastic traces in four different types of municipal wastewater treatment plants using FT-IR and TED-GC-MS, finding that while treatment processes removed most microplastics, some were still released into receiving water bodies.

2023 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in environment by thermal gravimetric analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Researchers developed a method combining thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify and quantify microplastics in environmental samples, demonstrating that the combined temperature profiles and absorption spectra provide greater discriminatory power than either technique alone.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 137 citations
Article Tier 2

Not one-size-fits-all: µ-FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS for complementary analysis of microplastics in eutrophic surface water.

Researchers applied a combined stereomicroscopy, micro-FTIR, and pyrolysis GC-MS workflow to surface water samples from Lake Victoria, finding polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymers by particle count while pyrolysis GC-MS quantified seven additional polymers — including nylons and PET — largely invisible to FTIR, demonstrating the complementary value of both techniques.

2026 Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
Article Tier 2

Identification and assessment of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants using laser direct infrared spectroscopy and depolymerization-coupled liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Researchers combined laser direct infrared spectroscopy and depolymerization-coupled LC-MS/MS to comprehensively characterize microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, finding complementary information from each method and documenting MP types and distribution across treatment stages.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Refined Analysis of Microplastics: Integrating Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy

This study optimized the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy for characterizing microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that integrating both techniques improves identification accuracy and physicochemical characterization.

2025 Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências
Article Tier 2

Promising techniques and open challenges for microplastic identification and quantification in environmental matrices

This review assessed current and emerging techniques for microplastic identification and quantification in environmental matrices, highlighting advantages and limitations of methods including FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and pyrolysis-GC/MS.

2019 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 232 citations
Article Tier 2

Pyrolysis Process of Mixed Microplastics Using TG-FTIR and TED-GC-MS

Researchers examined the pyrolysis behavior of mixed microplastic samples using TG-FTIR and TED-GC-MS, demonstrating these combined analytical methods can effectively identify and characterize individual polymers within complex plastic mixtures.

2023 Polymers 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of μ-ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and py-GCMS as identification tools for microplastic particles and fibers isolated from river sediments

Researchers compared two identification methods — micro-ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and pyrolysis-GC-MS — for characterizing microplastics extracted from river sediments, finding that the methods generally agreed on dominant polymers but differed in sensitivity to certain types. The comparison provides practical guidance for choosing analytical methods in freshwater microplastic monitoring programs.

2018 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 286 citations
Article Tier 2

Validation of an FT-IR microscopy method for the determination of microplastic particles in surface waters

Researchers validated an FT-IR microscopy method for reliably detecting and quantifying microplastic particles in aquatic and solid samples. Validated, standardized analytical methods are essential for producing comparable data across laboratories and building a reliable global picture of microplastic contamination.

2020 MethodsX 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical tools in advancing microplastics research for identification and quantification across environmental media: from sample to insight

This review surveys analytical techniques used in microplastic research, covering sampling, extraction, and identification methods including FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and pyrolysis-GC/MS, highlighting trade-offs between throughput, sensitivity, and particle size detection limits.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Dual-method analysis of microplastics in lake and wastewater treatment effluents: comparison of micro-FTIR and differential scanning calorimetry technique

Researchers compared micro-FTIR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for detecting microplastics in lake water and wastewater treatment effluents, finding that both methods showed similar pollution trends but differed in specific results, with micro-FTIR identifying polymer types and DSC providing superior mass quantification from large-volume samples.

2025 Water Research X
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in different water samples (seawater, freshwater, and wastewater): Methodology approach for characterization using micro-FTIR spectroscopy

Researchers developed a standardized methodology for detecting and characterizing small microplastics (10-500 micrometers) in different water types using micro-FTIR spectroscopy. The study tested various sample preparation approaches for seawater, freshwater, and wastewater, establishing reliable protocols for rinsing, digestion, and microplastic collection that can be used to assess treatment plant removal efficiency.

2023 Water Research 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis and Prevention of Microplastics Pollution in Water: Current Perspectives and Future Directions

This review surveyed current and emerging analytical methods for characterizing microplastics in water, covering Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC/MS, and various microscopy approaches, and discussed prevention strategies including wastewater treatment, policy measures, and product redesign. The authors identify chemical identification of MP type as a persistent analytical challenge limiting progress in MP removal and regulation.

2019 ACS Omega 376 citations
Article Tier 2

IR microspectroscopic identification of microplastics in municipal wastewater treatment plants

Researchers used infrared microspectroscopy to identify microplastics at three municipal wastewater treatment plants in Thailand employing different treatment processes, finding varied levels of microplastic contamination tied to urbanization level and treatment technology.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Wastewater Using Focal Plane Array-Based Reflectance Micro-FT-IR Imaging

Researchers applied focal plane array FT-IR imaging to identify and quantify microplastics in wastewater samples, demonstrating that this method provides efficient and detailed polymer characterization across large sample areas.

2015 Analytical Chemistry 664 citations
Article Tier 2

Automated identification and quantification of microfibres and microplastics

Researchers developed an automated method using FTIR imaging data analysis to simultaneously identify and quantify both microplastics and microfibers in environmental samples. Automation improves throughput and consistency compared to manual identification, addressing a key bottleneck in large-scale microplastic monitoring.

2019 Analytical Methods 152 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of new analysis methods for simultaneous and rapid identification of five different microplastics using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics

Researchers developed and evaluated ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with chemometric analysis for simultaneous rapid identification of five common microplastic polymer types in water samples. The method achieved high classification accuracy across polymer types, offering a faster and more automated alternative to conventional single-polymer identification approaches.

2024 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and hyperspectral FTIR imaging spectroscopy for the analysis of microplastics

Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and hyperspectral fluorescence imaging were compared for analyzing microplastics in environmental samples, which produce different types of data — mass-based versus particle count-based. The study explores how to reconcile and interpret results from these complementary analytical approaches for a more complete picture of microplastic contamination.

2020 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 231 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical tools in advancing microplastics research for identification and quantification across environmental media: from sample to insight

Researchers reviewed the analytical tools most commonly used for identifying and quantifying microplastics, focusing on FTIR and Raman spectroscopy as the two primary methods. The review compared their strengths and limitations and provided guidance for choosing between them based on particle size, sample matrix, and research objectives.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Comparative microplastic analysis in urban waters using μ-FTIR and Py-GC-MS: A case study in Amsterdam

Researchers compared two analytical methods for measuring microplastics in Amsterdam's canal water and found good agreement between them, with concentrations ranging from 16 to 107 particles per cubic meter. Microplastic levels were higher in the city center than in suburban areas, and seasonal differences were observed, providing a clearer picture of urban freshwater contamination that can ultimately reach drinking water sources.

2024 Environmental Pollution 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Contributions of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in microplastic pollution research: A review

This review covers advances in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques — including chemical imaging — for identifying polymer types in microplastic samples and tracing their fate in different environmental matrices.

2020 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 480 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel method for purification, quantitative analysis and characterization of microplastic fibers using Micro-FTIR

Researchers developed an improved method for purifying, quantifying, and characterizing microplastic fibers using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, addressing the challenge that fibers are harder to process and identify than other microplastic shapes. The method improvements enable more accurate characterization of this common but technically challenging category of environmental microplastics.

2019 Chemosphere 191 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Abundance and Composition in Western Lake Superior As Determined via Microscopy, Pyr-GC/MS, and FTIR

Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution in western Lake Superior surface waters using microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography, and FTIR spectroscopy. Fibers were the most common particle type found, and polyethylene was among the most frequently identified polymers. The study establishes baseline microplastic contamination levels in the Great Lakes and demonstrates the value of combining multiple analytical methods for accurate characterization.

2018 Environmental Science & Technology 390 citations