Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Facile detection of microplastics from a variety of environmental samples with conjugated polymer nanoparticles

Researchers developed a quick and straightforward method for detecting microplastics in environmental samples using fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles. The technique can identify microplastic particles across a range of sample types without requiring complex laboratory equipment. This approach could make microplastic monitoring more accessible and practical for routine environmental testing.

2024 Environmental Science Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Stable staining of microplastics using conjugated polymer nanoparticles

Researchers developed conjugated polymer nanoparticles as a new analytical tool for staining and detecting microplastics, demonstrating stable fluorescent labeling of polystyrene particles that remained effective for at least 2.5 years after initial application.

2025 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

A Selective Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for No-Wash Detection of PVC Microplastic

Researchers developed a selective ratiometric fluorescent probe for detecting PVC microplastics without sample washing, offering a simpler and faster method than current spectroscopic approaches for identifying this specific polymer type in water.

2021 Polymers 17 citations
Article Tier 2

An Electrochemiluminescence-ActivatedAmphiphilicPerylene Diimide Probe: Enabling Highly Sensitive and Selective Detectionof Polypropylene Nanoplastics in the Environment

Researchers developed an amphiphilic perylene diimide probe combined with electrochemiluminescence to detect polypropylene nanoplastics in aqueous environments with high sensitivity. The probe achieved concentration-dependent signal enhancement and selective detection of PP nanoplastics even in complex environmental matrices.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

In Situ Fluorescent Illumination of Microplastics in Water Utilizing a Combination of Dye/Surfactant and Quenching Techniques

Researchers developed an in situ fluorescent microplastic detection method using a nonpolar dye combined with surfactant to form nanoscale dye particles that selectively adsorb onto and penetrate plastic polymer matrices in water, then quenched free dye fluorescence using aniline to enable direct visualization of stained microplastics without filtration.

2022 Polymers 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorogenic hyaluronan nanogels for detection of micro- and nanoplastics in water

Researchers developed fluorogenic hyaluronan nanogels that bind selectively to micro- and nanoplastic surfaces in water and become brightly emissive upon binding, enabling sensitive fluorescence-based detection of plastic particles in environmental water samples.

2021 Environmental Science Nano 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Nanoplastics by Probing the Viscous Nanoenvironment

Researchers developed a cationic fluorescent probe that detects nanoplastics by sensing the viscous nanoenvironment surrounding them rather than reacting with the particle surface, enabling sensitive detection of nanoplastics without relying on conventional reactive functional groups.

2025 Small Science
Article Tier 2

Fabrication and characterization of (fluorescent) model nanoplastics for polymer specific detection

Scientists developed fluorescently labeled model nanoplastics that mimic the properties of real plastic particles, enabling polymer-specific identification at very small scales. These standardized reference particles are a key research tool because nanoplastics are otherwise extremely difficult to detect and characterize in environmental samples.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Revolutionizing microplastic detection in water through quantum dot fluorescence

Researchers developed a quantum dot fluorescence-based detection system for microplastics in water, achieving sensitive and rapid identification of multiple polymer types with lower detection limits and faster analysis times than conventional spectroscopic methods.

2025 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A
Article Tier 2

An Electrochemiluminescence-Activated Amphiphilic Perylene Diimide Probe: Enabling Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Polypropylene Nanoplastics in the Environment

Scientists developed a new highly sensitive method to detect polypropylene nanoplastics in water using a special fluorescent probe combined with electrochemiluminescence technology. The method can detect nanoplastics at concentrations as low as 0.01 micrograms per liter, far more sensitive than previous approaches. Better detection tools like this are critical for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in drinking water and understanding the true extent of human exposure.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Illuminating the Invisible: Fluorescent Probes as Emerging Tools for Micro/Nanoplastic Identification

This review traces the development of fluorescent probes for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in environmental samples, from early hydrophobic stains to advanced molecular designs with improved selectivity. Researchers found that newer probe technologies offer significant advantages in sensitivity and throughput compared to conventional detection methods like FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The study highlights remaining challenges including standardizing protocols across different environmental matrices and improving detection of the smallest nanoplastic particles.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Labeling of PET and PP nanoplastic test materials with non-leachable π-conjugated fluorescent polymers

Researchers produced fluorescently labeled PET and PP nanoplastic particles using co-precipitation with a conjugated polymer dye, achieving over 85% dye internalization and submicron particle sizes, and demonstrated their use for measuring cell uptake while overcoming dosimetry challenges posed by buoyant particles.

2026
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent Tagging of Polymer Particles with PBN for the Detection of Microplastics in Personal Care Goods

Researchers used fluorescent labeling to detect microplastic particles in personal care products, a common but undermonitored source of plastic pollution. The method proved effective for identifying small polymer particles in consumer goods.

2021 Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent labelling as a tool for identifying and quantifying nanoplastics

Researchers used fluorescent labeling with four fluorescent molecules to enable detection of nanoplastics from six common polymer types (PP, LDPE, HDPE, PS, PET, PVC) via 3D fluorescence spectral analysis. The method provides a practical approach to identifying and quantifying nanoplastics in samples where conventional spectroscopic methods face sensitivity challenges.

2024 RSC Advances 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Coumarin 6 staining method to detect microplastics

Researchers developed a fluorescence staining method using coumarin 6 dye to detect microplastics, offering a simpler and lower-cost detection approach compared to spectroscopic methods while maintaining adequate specificity for identifying plastic particles in environmental samples.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of dye-staining method for microplastics detection

Researchers developed a tailored dye-staining method for detecting microplastics and microfibers, proposing a selective staining protocol designed to improve visualization and identification accuracy. The study presents this approach as a practical analytical tool for microplastic detection in environmental and laboratory samples.

2024
Article Tier 2

Revolutionizing microplastic detection in water through quantum dot fluorescence

Researchers developed a novel approach using carbon quantum dots to stain microplastics, enabling fluorescence-based detection in water at low cost and with simple synthesis, demonstrating high sensitivity and selectivity without the toxicity concerns of conventional fluorescent dyes.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent molecular rotor-based probes for sensitive and selective detection of nanoplastics in food, environment, and living cells

Researchers developed two molecular rotor-based fluorescent probes that selectively detect oppositely charged nanoplastics through hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. The probes demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for nanoplastics in food, environmental, and live cell samples, providing a new tool for nanoplastic detection.

2025 Food Chemistry
Article Tier 2

The potential of fluorescent dyes—comparative study of Nile red and three derivatives for the detection of microplastics

Researchers compared Nile red and three newly developed fluorescent dye derivatives for staining microplastics, finding that the derivatives achieved greater selectivity for plastic particles and more intense fluorescence than standard Nile red, improving detection sensitivity.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 106 citations
Article Tier 2

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Researchers developed polymer-specific, high-affinity binding peptides covalently linked to fluorescent probes to create a low-cost, sustainable detection system capable of identifying and labelling specific plastic polymers in mixed environmental and industrial microplastic samples. The method aimed to enable fast, accurate polymer identification in heterogeneous samples relevant to both recycling and environmental monitoring applications.

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

Frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy: A new method to directly identify microplastics in water.

Researchers evaluated frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) as a method to identify ABS, PC, PET, PS, and PVC granulates directly in a 1 cm water layer without filtration or drying. The study found that all five polymer types could be unambiguously identified by their fluorescence lifetimes, establishing FD-FLIM as a promising rapid label-free technique for direct microplastic detection in aqueous samples.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Optical measurement technologies for detecting low levels of pollution and identifying microplastics in water

Researchers reviewed optical technologies for detecting and identifying microplastics in water, experimentally characterizing the fluorescence spectra of PE and PET microplastic samples under 365 nm excitation and identifying spectral bands enabling identification of different polymer types, then proposing a comprehensive hardware solution using a fluorescent probe for microplastic visualization.

2024
Article Tier 2

A photoluminescence strategy for detection nanoplastics in water and biological imaging in cells and plants

Researchers developed a fluorescent probe that can rapidly detect nanoplastics in water samples down to very low concentrations. The probe works by binding to nanoplastic surfaces through electrical and chemical interactions, which causes it to glow, enabling both detection and visual tracking in cells and plant tissues. This tool could help scientists better monitor nanoplastic contamination in water and understand how these tiny particles move through living organisms.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Material-Specific Determination Based on Microscopic Observation of Single Microplastic Particles Stained with Fluorescent Dyes

Researchers developed a fluorescence-based technique using commercially available fluorescent dyes to identify the material composition of individual microplastic particles under microscopy, offering a faster first-screening alternative to FT-IR and Raman microspectroscopy. The method was validated on common microplastic types and demonstrated as a practical tool for material-specific determination without requiring specialized spectral expertise.

2022 Sensors 16 citations