Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Toward the Systematic Identification of Microplastics in the Environment: Evaluation of a New Independent Software Tool (siMPle) for Spectroscopic Analysis

A new free software tool called siMPle was developed to standardize microplastic identification from FTIR spectroscopy across instruments from different manufacturers, using a shared database and automated analysis pipeline. Testing across four different instrument types confirmed the tool produces consistent and comparable results, addressing a major bottleneck in microplastics monitoring.

2020 Applied Spectroscopy 255 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparison of spectroscopic analysis methods for microplastics: Manual, semi-automated, and automated Fourier transform infrared and Raman techniques

Researchers compared manual, semi-automated, and fully automated methods for identifying microplastics using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. They found that the semi-automated approach was the best balance of accuracy and efficiency, detecting 22% more microplastic particles than manual analysis while taking less time. The fully automated method was fastest but had an 80% false positive rate, while Raman microscopy was better for very small particles but took nine times longer.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a novel semi-automated analytical system of microplastics using reflectance-FTIR spectrometry: designed for the analysis of large microplastics

A semi-automated reflectance-FTIR spectrometry system was developed for microplastic analysis, designed specifically for large microplastics and capable of dramatically accelerating the otherwise labor-intensive identification process while maintaining accuracy in polymer type determination.

2025 Environmental Science Advances 2 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

Know What You Don’t Know: Assessment of Overlooked Microplastic Particles in FTIR Images

A reference image dataset containing over 1,200 microplastic and non-microplastic particles was developed to evaluate whether FTIR-based data analysis routines miss any particles during automated microplastic identification. Many existing routines overlooked a significant fraction of particles, particularly smaller ones. Better evaluation tools are needed to ensure that automated microplastic analysis is complete and accurate.

2022 Microplastics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Machine Learning Microplastic Characterisation Surpasses Human Performance and Uncovers Labelling Errors in Public FTIR Data

Researchers developed a machine learning system for automated FTIR-based microplastic characterization that surpassed human expert performance in classification accuracy and identified labeling errors in publicly available FTIR datasets. The system offers a faster, more consistent alternative to manual spectral analysis and highlights quality issues in existing reference databases used for microplastic identification.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Automated analysis of microplastics based on vibrational spectroscopy: are we measuring the same metrics?

Researchers compared three automated vibrational spectroscopy methods for microplastic analysis and found significant discrepancies in particle counts, size distributions, and polymer identification, highlighting the urgent need for standardized measurement protocols.

2022 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Generation of macro- and microplastic databases by high-throughput FTIR analysis with microplate readers

Researchers developed a high-throughput FTIR analysis technique using microplate readers to rapidly characterize large microplastics and macroplastics, which have traditionally required slower manual methods. They created a reference database of over 6,000 spectra covering more than 600 plastic, organic, and mineral materials across multiple measurement modes. The study addresses key analytical bottlenecks in plastic pollution research by enabling faster, non-destructive identification of larger plastic particles.

2024 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Robust Automatic Identification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples Using FTIR Microscopy

Researchers developed a robust automated method for identifying microplastics in environmental samples using FTIR microscopy combined with machine learning-based spectral matching, improving the consistency and efficiency of microplastic identification compared to manual evaluation.

2019 Analytical Chemistry 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Inter-equipment reliable identification of microplastics by micro-FTIR using low computational resources

Researchers developed a low-computational-resource method for reliable microplastic identification by micro-FTIR spectroscopy that performs consistently across different instruments. The approach, funded under the EU PlasticTrace metrology project, addresses inter-equipment variability — a major barrier to harmonized microplastic monitoring — enabling more comparable results across laboratories.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Inter-equipment reliable identification of microplastics by micro-FTIR using low computational resources

Researchers developed a low-computational-resource method for reliable microplastic identification by micro-FTIR spectroscopy that performs consistently across different instruments. The approach, funded under the EU PlasticTrace metrology project, addresses inter-equipment variability — a major barrier to harmonized microplastic monitoring — enabling more comparable results across laboratories.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Reference database design for the automated analysis of microplastic samples based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

A reference database for automated FTIR-based microplastic identification was developed using hierarchical cluster analysis of reference spectra, enabling both single-particle identification and chemical imaging analysis. The database design improves the reproducibility and comparability of automated microplastic identification across different laboratories and instrumentation types.

2018 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 516 citations
Article Tier 2

Inter-instrument definition of valid criteria for the automatic identification of microplastics by micro-Raman spectroscopy

Researchers developed a standardized methodology for automatically identifying microplastics using micro-Raman spectroscopy across different laboratory instruments. They determined optimal match algorithms and threshold values that achieved a 95% true positive rate with minimal false positives, even when spectra were collected on different spectrometers. The study addresses a key barrier to reliable, reproducible microplastic identification in environmental and health research.

2025 Talanta 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comparative Study of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models for Microplastic Classification using FTIR Spectra

Researchers compared machine learning and deep learning models for classifying microplastics using FTIR spectra, evaluating multiple algorithmic approaches against standardised spectral datasets. The study assessed classification accuracy and computational efficiency, identifying which model architectures best discriminate between polymer types in environmental microplastic samples.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Automated rapid & intelligent microplastics mapping by FTIR microscopy: A Python–based workflow

An algorithm was developed for automated FTIR microscopy that skips empty areas and non-plastic particles on filters, dramatically reducing scan times while maintaining accuracy. Faster automated analysis makes it practical to screen more environmental microplastic samples, improving the quality of contamination assessments.

2019 MethodsX 38 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

Implications of method- and instrument-based size detection limits in μFTIR-based microplastic analysis

This study quantified how both instrument detection limits and methodological choices in micro-FTIR analysis affect reported microplastic concentrations, finding these factors substantially influence numerical results and urging standardization before cross-study comparisons are made.

2025 Talanta 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Automated Machine-Learning-Driven Analysis of Microplastics by TGA-FTIR for Enhanced Identification and Quantification

Researchers developed an automated machine-learning system to identify and measure microplastics using a combination of heat analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The system can distinguish between different plastic types more accurately and faster than manual methods. Better detection tools like this are important because reliable measurement of microplastics in food, water, and the environment is essential for understanding human exposure levels.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Data and Code for High Throughput FTIR Analysis of Macro and Microplastics with Plate Readers

This dataset and code support a method using FTIR plate readers to analyze large numbers of macro- and microplastic samples simultaneously. High-throughput FTIR analysis dramatically increases the speed of plastic identification compared to traditional one-sample approaches. The open-source tools make large-scale environmental microplastic monitoring more accessible.

2023 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

High Throughput FTIR Analysis of Macro and Microplastics with Plate Readers

This study developed high-throughput FTIR plate reader methods to analyze larger microplastics and macroplastics more efficiently than traditional manual ATR approaches. Faster and more automated chemical identification of plastic particles is critical for scaling up environmental monitoring programs.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A machine learning algorithm for high throughput identification of FTIR spectra: Application on microplastics collected in the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers developed a machine learning method to automatically identify the chemical composition of microplastics from FTIR spectroscopy data collected during the Tara Mediterranean expedition. The algorithm performed well for common polymers like polyethylene and was applied to classify over 4,000 unidentified microplastic spectra. The study demonstrates that automated identification tools can significantly speed up large-scale microplastic pollution surveys while maintaining acceptable accuracy.

2019 Chemosphere 172 citations
Review Tier 2

Critical Review of Processing and Classification Techniques for Images and Spectra in Microplastic Research

This review critically evaluates image analysis and spectroscopic methods used to identify and classify microplastics, including optical microscopy, electron microscopy, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. The authors highlight the need for standardized color classification, improved spectral libraries, and shared data tools to make microplastics studies more comparable.

2020 Applied Spectroscopy 248 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploratory analysis of hyperspectral FTIR data obtained from environmental microplastics samples

Hyperspectral infrared imaging is an effective method for finding and characterizing microplastics in environmental samples, and this paper explores analytical approaches for extracting useful information from the large datasets it generates. Better analytical tools make it faster and more accurate to identify and classify microplastics in real-world samples.

2020 Analytical Methods 56 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)