Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in bottled water from Croatia: a Raman spectroscopy approach

Researchers analyzed six brands of bottled water sold in Croatia and found microplastics in all of them, with particles as small as 1 micrometer detected using Raman spectroscopy. The most commonly found plastics were PET and polyethylene, and interestingly, bottles made from virgin PET contained more microplastics than those made from recycled PET. The study adds to growing evidence that bottled water is a significant source of human microplastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection, Quantification, and Characterisation of Microplastics in Maltese Bottled Water

Researchers detected microplastics in 84% of bottled water samples from five Maltese brands at an average concentration of 35,877 ± 23,542 particles per litre, with an average particle diameter of 2.37 μm and polymers including polyurethane, polyethylene, and polymethyl methacrylate identified by Raman spectroscopy.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in water bottled in different packaging by Raman spectroscopy

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in bottled water from different packaging types using Raman spectroscopy, confirming that plastic contamination occurs across various commercial water bottle materials.

2023 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Identifying microplastic particle in the drinking water using Raman spectroscopy method

This Indonesian study used Raman spectroscopy to identify and analyze microplastic content in drinking water and its sources, addressing concerns about plastic particle ingestion through contaminated beverages. Microplastics as small as 5 mm were detected and characterized, with potential health effects including hormonal imbalances and cardiovascular disease noted.

2024 AIP conference proceedings 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Detection in Streaming Tap Water with Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated that Raman spectroscopy can detect and identify microplastic particles in streaming tap water in real time, offering a rapid non-destructive method for monitoring plastic contamination in drinking water.

2019 Sensors 156 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative Raman analysis of microplastics in water using peak area ratios for concentration determination

Researchers developed a new method using Raman spectroscopy to measure microplastic concentrations in water. By analyzing the ratio of plastic-specific signals to the water signal, they created a reliable calibration model for detecting polyethylene and PVC microplastics, even when multiple plastic types are mixed together. This approach could make it faster and easier to monitor microplastic contamination in real-world water sources.

2024 npj Clean Water 24 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Raman spectroscopy for microplastic detection in water sources: a systematic review

This systematic review summarizes how Raman spectroscopy, a type of light-based analysis, is used to identify microplastics in drinking water, oceans, and wastewater. Polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene were among the most commonly detected plastics across all water sources. Better detection methods like this are essential for understanding the extent of microplastic contamination in the water we drink.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 136 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Nanoplastics in Commercially Bottled Drinking Water Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Scientists developed a new detection method using enhanced Raman spectroscopy to identify nanoplastics in commercially bottled drinking water. They found PET nanoplastics averaging about 88 nanometers in size in the bottled water samples tested. This study provides concrete evidence that people are consuming nanoplastics through a common daily source, and offers a tool that could help monitor plastic contamination in beverages.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Findings of the High Quantity of Microplastics in Faeces of Hong Kong Residents

Researchers used Raman spectroscopy to quantify microplastics in faecal samples from healthy Hong Kong residents. The study found an average of about 50 microplastic particles per gram, which was notably higher than quantities reported in other cities, suggesting significant dietary microplastic exposure in the Hong Kong population.

2022 Toxics 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic analysis in drinking water based on fractionated filtration sampling and Raman microspectroscopy

A validated analytical workflow for detecting microplastics down to 5 µm in drinking water was developed using a portable filter cascade unit followed by two-step semi-automated Raman microspectroscopy, and was applied successfully to processed drinking water, tap water, and groundwater.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics in drinking water and other clean water samples with micro-Raman and micro-infrared spectroscopy: minimum requirements and best practice guidelines

Researchers compiled best-practice guidelines for detecting and quantifying microplastics in drinking water using micro-Raman and micro-infrared spectroscopy, establishing minimum requirements for sample preparation, measurement parameters, and data reporting to improve comparability across studies.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 229 citations
Article Tier 2

What's in your water? A comparative analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in treated drinking water and bottled water

Researchers developed a novel method to detect both micro- and nanoplastics in drinking water using scanning electron microscopy and advanced infrared spectroscopy capable of identifying particles as small as 300 nanometers. The study found that bottled water had significantly higher concentrations of plastic particles than treated tap water, particularly for smaller micro- and nanoplastics, with polyamide, PET, and polyethylene being the most common polymers.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A critical analysis on the limits and possibilities of the μ-Raman as a routine method for microplastics determination in drinking water

This critical analysis examined the limits and practical possibilities of micro-Raman spectroscopy as a routine tool for microplastic identification, assessing throughput, detection limits, and the conditions under which it provides reliable polymer characterization.

2024 Journal of Water Process Engineering 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Do drinking water plants retain microplastics? An exploratory study using Raman micro-spectroscopy

Researchers quantified microplastic retention at a Danish groundwater-fed drinking water treatment plant using Raman spectroscopy, finding that the plant reduced but did not eliminate microplastic particles down to 1 micron in size, with some microplastics present in the treated drinking water output.

2023 Heliyon 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics in Tap and Bottled Water: Current Knowledge

This review summarizes current research on microplastic contamination in both tap and bottled drinking water. Researchers found that microplastics are present in both water sources, with bottled water generally containing higher concentrations than tap water, and smaller particles being more abundant. The study raises public health concerns and emphasizes the need for improved detection methods and drinking water treatment standards.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 184 citations
Article Tier 2

Identifying microplastic contamination in drinking water: analysis and evaluation using spectroscopic methods

Researchers developed analytical methods to identify and quantify microplastic contamination in drinking water, evaluating extraction efficiency and detection accuracy across different water types and plastic particle sizes. The study assessed health implications based on measured plastic loads in treated water.

2024 Interdisciplinary Environmental Review
Article Tier 2

Flow Raman Spectroscopy for the Detection and Identification of Small Microplastics

Researchers developed a new method using flow Raman spectroscopy to detect and identify individual microplastic particles as small as 4 micrometers while they move through water. Unlike current methods that require complex sample preparation, this technique could work in real time for monitoring food and drinking water quality. The method can distinguish between different plastic types even after they have been weathered by the environment.

2025 Sensors 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of nano-plastics in bottled drinking water.

Researchers detected nanoplastics in commercially bottled drinking water using novel nanoparticle analysis techniques, finding particles in the nanometer size range in multiple brands. These findings are concerning because nanoplastics are thought to be more biologically active than larger microplastics and can more easily cross biological barriers in the body.

2022 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and nanoplastic analysis in drinking water and indoor air with Raman micro-spectroscopy

Raman micro-spectroscopy was used to detect and characterize micro- and nanoplastics in drinking water and indoor air, demonstrating the technique's value for assessing human exposure to plastic particles across multiple environments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination of Surface Water-Sourced Tap Water in Hong Kong—A Preliminary Study

Scientists tested tap water sourced from surface water in Hong Kong for microplastics, finding contamination in treated drinking water and identifying infiltration during distribution and treatment as likely entry points even after filtration.

2020 Applied Sciences 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative analysis of microplastics in water by Raman spectroscopy: influence of microplastic concentration on Raman scattering intensities

Researchers investigated quantitative Raman spectroscopy for detecting microplastics directly in water, finding that Raman scattering intensities varied with concentration for both PVC spheres (40-100 um) and PE spheres (40-48 um) dispersed in de-ionized water at 0.1-1.0 wt%.

2024
Article Tier 2

High sensitivity in quantitative analysis of mixed-size polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in one step

Scientists developed a new method using filtration combined with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to separate and identify mixed-size micro- and nanoplastics in a single step. The technique achieved detection limits as low as parts-per-billion concentration levels and was successfully tested in real-world tap water samples. Reliable methods for detecting nanoplastics in drinking water are crucial for understanding the extent of human exposure through water consumption.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

FTIR-Based Identification of Microplastics in Commercial Bottled Drinking Water

Scientists found tiny plastic particles in all 10 brands of bottled water they tested, using a special technique to identify the plastic types. These microplastics likely come from the plastic bottles and packaging process itself. While we don't yet know the full health effects of drinking these plastic particles, this study shows that even bottled water isn't free from plastic pollution.

2026 Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and identification of microplastics in tap water from China

Researchers analyzed 38 tap water samples from cities across China and found microplastics in all of them, with concentrations averaging around 440 particles per liter. Most particles were smaller than 50 micrometers, and the dominant types were polyethylene and polypropylene fragments. The findings highlight that drinking water treatment plants face a significant challenge in addressing microplastic contamination in the water supply.

2020 Chemosphere 416 citations