Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Unveiling Hidden Threats: Introduction of a Routine Workflow for Label-Free and Non-destructive Detection of Microplastics in Human FFPE Tissue Sections

Researchers developed a new workflow using mid-infrared photothermal microscopy to detect and identify microplastic particles directly in preserved human colon tissue sections. The method allows non-destructive, label-free identification of polymer types within tissue without special sample preparation. The study introduces a practical approach that could enable routine screening for microplastics in human tissues during standard medical examinations.

2025 2 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

Label-free non-destructive spectroscopic detection of mixed microplastic uptake and differential effects on intestinal epithelial cells

Researchers used a specialized infrared spectroscopy technique to detect and identify real-world microplastics that had been internalized by human intestinal cells in the lab. They found that mixed microplastic exposures caused measurable changes in cellular biochemistry, even when individual plastic types showed limited effects. The study demonstrates a promising non-destructive method for tracking microplastics inside biological tissues and suggests that realistic mixtures of plastics may be more harmful than single types alone.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 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

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

Set up and validation of a method to analyse microplastics in stool and small intestine samples

Researchers developed and validated practical methods for extracting and identifying microplastics from human stool samples and pig intestinal tissue. Using gentle chemical and enzyme-based digestion followed by infrared spectroscopy, they successfully detected multiple polymer types including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, providing tools for studying microplastic exposure in the human digestive system.

2024 MethodsX 5 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

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

Morphological and chemical characterization of nanoplastics in human tissue

Researchers developed methods to visualize and chemically characterize nanoplastics that have accumulated in human tissue samples. They were able to identify plastic particles smaller than one micrometer within tissue using advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The study provides some of the first direct evidence of nanoscale plastic accumulation in the human body, which is essential for designing future health effects research.

2025 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastics in human colectomy specimens

Researchers examined tissue samples from patients who had colon surgery and detected microplastics in the specimens. The findings suggest that microplastics are commonly present in the human colon, adding to a growing body of evidence that these particles accumulate in the human digestive system.

2020 JGH Open 550 citations
Review Tier 2

Analysing micro- and nanoplastics with cutting-edge infrared spectroscopy techniques: a critical review

This review evaluates cutting-edge infrared spectroscopy techniques for detecting and analyzing micro- and nanoplastics in environmental and food samples. Better detection methods are crucial for understanding human exposure because they allow scientists to measure smaller particles more accurately, including nanoplastics that are small enough to cross biological barriers and accumulate in human tissues.

2024 Analytical Methods 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the analysis of polyethylene microplastics in human soft tissues

Researchers developed a combined technique using Raman microspectroscopy and laser-based analysis to detect polyethylene microplastics in human soft tissue samples. The method can identify both the plastic polymer and any associated inorganic elements in tissue. This kind of detection tool is important for understanding whether microplastics accumulate in specific human organs and what health effects they might have.

2024 Heliyon 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a method for the detection of polystyrene microplastics in paraffin-embedded histological sections

Researchers developed a method for detecting polystyrene microplastics in paraffin-embedded tissue samples, addressing a key constraint in assessing microplastic exposure in marine animals used in laboratory toxicity bioassays.

2017 Histochemistry and Cell Biology 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Infrared Microscopy: A Multidisciplinary Review of Techniques, Applications, and Ethical Dimensions

This review examines the applications of infrared microscopy across biomedical research, materials science, environmental monitoring, and art conservation. Researchers highlighted the technique's ability to provide non-invasive molecular analysis, including its role in identifying and characterizing microplastic pollutants in environmental samples. The study also addresses ethical considerations around data privacy and responsible technology use in these analytical applications.

2024 Jordan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastics in human lung tissue using μFTIR spectroscopy

Researchers analyzed lung tissue from 13 people and found microplastics in 11 of the samples, identifying 12 different plastic types including polypropylene and polyester. The particles were found in all regions of the lungs, with significantly higher concentrations in the lower lung. This is one of the first studies to directly confirm that microplastics from everyday environments can be inhaled and accumulate deep in human lung tissue.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 1264 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection and quantification of various microplastics in human endometrium based on laser direct infrared spectroscopy

For the first time, researchers detected microplastics in human uterine lining tissue, finding 13 different types of plastic particles in the samples. Most particles were very small (under 100 micrometers), and certain habits like drinking from plastic bottles and chewing gum were linked to higher microplastic levels. This raises concerns about potential effects on reproductive health and fertility, though more research is needed.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 91 citations
Article Tier 2

New universal approach for microplastics detection in tissues retains histology and reveals unprecedented quantities in placental samples

Researchers developed a new universal method for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in tissue samples that preserves tissue histology, allowing simultaneous plastic detection and morphological analysis of the same sample to better characterize MP tissue distribution and pathological effects.

2025
Article Tier 2

Localisation and identification of polystyrene particles in tissue sections using Raman spectroscopic imaging

Researchers developed a Raman spectroscopic imaging method to localize and identify polystyrene microplastic particles directly within tissue sections, enabling in-situ detection without fluorescent labeling and making environmental sample analysis feasible.

2023 NanoImpact 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Photothermal Infrared Imaging of Nanoplastics in Human Cells with Nanoscale Resolution

Researchers demonstrated a new photothermal infrared imaging technique capable of detecting and localizing nanoplastics inside individual human cells at nanoscale resolution. The study found that polystyrene nanoparticles accumulated around cell nuclei, and that this advanced imaging approach overcomes the spatial resolution limitations of conventional infrared spectroscopy for tracking nanoplastics in biological tissues.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Infrared spectroscopic laser scanning confocal microscopy for whole-slide chemical imaging

Scientists developed a new infrared microscope that can create chemical images of entire tissue slides in about 3 minutes, far faster than existing methods. While not directly about microplastics, this type of imaging technology could significantly speed up the detection and identification of microplastic particles in human tissue samples. Faster, more detailed chemical imaging tools are needed to better understand where microplastics accumulate in the body and what damage they cause.

2023 Nature Communications 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical techniques for assessing microplastic-induced physiological damage in tissues

This study reviewed advanced analytical techniques—including FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and biochemical assays—for identifying and visualizing microplastics in biological tissues, finding that multi-method approaches yield the most comprehensive characterization of tissue damage.

2025 International Journal of Biology Sciences
Article Tier 2

Advancements in optical techniques for direct identification and localization of micro- and nanoplastics in biological samples

Researchers reviewed advanced optical methods for directly detecting and localizing microplastics in biological tissues, highlighting techniques that can identify particles without extraction or digestion. Optical approaches including Raman mapping and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering allow spatial mapping of microplastics in tissue sections.

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

A new screening framework to support the identification of exogenous particles and suspect microplastics in situ in pathological tissue samples

Researchers developed a screening framework to detect exogenous particles including microplastics within human ileal tissue sections, using human tissue samples as proof of concept to investigate whether and how particles can translocate into the subepithelial mucosa.

2025 EBioMedicine
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastics (≥10 μm) in Meconium by Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy

Researchers investigated the presence of microplastics in 16 meconium samples (a newborn's first stool) using Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. The study developed improved pretreatment methods for detecting microplastics in biological samples and contributes to the limited body of research on fetal microplastic exposure, an area that remains largely understudied.

2023 Toxics 18 citations