Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Identifying microplastic litter with Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A first approach

Researchers demonstrated that Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) can identify microplastic particles by their spectral fingerprints, offering a first approach to a rapid analytical technique for distinguishing plastic litter types.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of 20 polymer types by means of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and chemometrics

Researchers developed a laser-based identification technique that can distinguish among 20 different types of plastic using chemical analysis and machine learning, even in colored or additive-containing samples — a higher number than any previously published method. Rapid and reliable plastic identification is a critical step for improving plastic waste sorting and understanding the composition of environmental microplastic pollution.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in the Marine Environment Using the Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Technique

Researchers evaluated the laser direct infrared (LDIR) technique for identifying and quantifying marine microplastics, demonstrating it as a faster and more automated alternative to conventional FTIR methods with comparable accuracy.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 120 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of marine microplastics based on laser-induced fluorescence and principal component analysis

Researchers developed a method to identify different types of marine microplastics using laser-induced fluorescence combined with principal component analysis. The technique successfully distinguished nine types of microplastics based on their fluorescence signatures and could detect microplastic concentrations as low as 0.03% by mass. The study suggests this approach could be a practical tool for rapid microplastic identification in marine environments.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of marine microplastics by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy: 1-Dimensional convolutional neural network and continuous convolutional model

Researchers investigated using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy combined with deep learning models to identify six types of marine microplastics. A continuous convolution neural network model achieved 99.5% classification accuracy, outperforming a standard 1D convolutional network at 97.5%. The approach offers a faster and less expensive alternative to traditional FTIR and Raman spectroscopy methods for microplastic identification.

2025 Spectrochimica Acta Part A Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with neural network approach for plastic identification and classification in waste management

Researchers applied laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy combined with neural network algorithms to identify and classify different plastic types, addressing the need for rapid and accurate plastic sorting in recycling chains. The system demonstrated high classification accuracy for common polymer types based on their elemental emission spectra.

2024 Applied Chemical Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and characterization of microplastics in coastal environments: Insights from laser direct infrared imaging

Researchers used laser direct infrared imaging to identify and quantify microplastics in sediment and seawater samples from coastal areas in Auckland, New Zealand. The study detected nine common plastic polymer types and demonstrated that this analytical technique provides efficient and accurate characterization of microplastic contamination in environmental samples.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid identification of marine microplastics by laser-induced fluorescence technique based on PCA combined with SVM and KNN algorithm

Researchers developed a laser-based fluorescence method combined with machine learning algorithms to rapidly identify different types of marine microplastics. The system achieved classification accuracy above 97 percent for four common plastic types at various concentrations. The technique offers a fast, non-destructive alternative to traditional laboratory methods for monitoring microplastic pollution in ocean environments.

2025 Environmental Research 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Laser-based spectroscopic techniques: A novel approach for distinguishing aging processes and types of microplastics

Researchers applied laser-based spectroscopic techniques as a novel approach to distinguish between different aging processes and plastic types in microplastic particles, addressing the challenge of identifying weathered plastics that have undergone physical and chemical degradation in the environment.

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

Identifying plastics with photoluminescence spectroscopy and machine learning

Researchers showed that combining photoluminescence spectroscopy (shining light on plastic and measuring what comes back) with machine learning can reliably identify different types of plastic materials. This low-cost, widely accessible approach could help scientists track and characterize plastic pollution in the environment at a global scale.

2022 Scientific Reports 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on Rapid Recognition of Marine Microplastics Based on Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers developed a rapid identification system for marine microplastics using Raman spectroscopy, enabling quick determination of plastic type and size. Fast, accurate identification tools are critical for monitoring the growing problem of microplastic pollution in ocean environments.

2021 Knowledge Repository of Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, CAS (Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research) 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Spectroscopic Identification of Environmental Microplastics

Scientists developed a machine learning classifier that identifies the chemical type of environmental microplastic samples from spectral data with over 97% accuracy, even for samples from unknown sources. Automated spectral identification tools are critical for scaling up microplastic monitoring across large environmental datasets.

2021 IEEE Access 16 citations
Article Tier 2

A comprehensive and fast microplastics identification based on near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI-NIR) and chemometrics

Researchers developed a near-infrared hyperspectral imaging method combined with chemometric analysis for rapid, high-throughput identification of microplastic types in mixed samples, achieving high classification accuracy and offering a faster alternative to FTIR and Raman methods for routine monitoring.

2021 Environmental Pollution 118 citations
Article Tier 2

Instant plastic waste detection on shores using laser-induced fluorescence and associated hyperspectral imaging

Researchers demonstrated the use of laser-induced fluorescence combined with hyperspectral imaging for rapid detection of plastic waste on shorelines. The study suggests this technology could enable efficient, real-time monitoring of plastic pollution on beaches and coastal areas through remote sensing approaches.

2024 Optical and Quantum Electronics 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymer Type Identification of Marine Plastic Litter Using a Miniature Near-Infrared Spectrometer (MicroNIR)

Researchers tested a miniature near-infrared spectrometer (MicroNIR) for rapidly identifying polymer types in marine plastic litter collected from beaches, finding it could accurately distinguish common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene. Low-cost, portable identification tools are important for large-scale monitoring of marine plastic pollution.

2020 Applied Sciences 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Indoor spectroradiometric characterization of plastic litters commonly polluting the Mediterranean Sea: toward the application of multispectral imagery

Researchers used a laboratory spectrometer to measure the light reflectance of common plastic types found in the Mediterranean Sea as a step toward developing remote sensing methods to detect marine plastic pollution from satellites or aircraft. Aerial monitoring of plastic pollution could revolutionize our ability to track and manage large-scale ocean plastic contamination.

2020 Scientific Reports 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for direct analysis of pristine and environmentally aged microplastics: A PCA-based approach

Researchers combined a rapid laser analysis technique (LIBS) with statistical pattern recognition to distinguish between fresh and environmentally aged microplastics made of polystyrene, polyethylene, and PVC. They found that aging — especially biological aging with microbe growth — left distinct chemical fingerprints on particle surfaces, offering a faster way to monitor how microplastics change as they degrade in the environment.

2025 Spectrochimica Acta Part B Atomic Spectroscopy
Article Tier 2

A New Chemometric Approach for Automatic Identification of Microplastics from Environmental Compartments Based on FT-IR Spectroscopy

Researchers developed a new chemometric approach for automatic identification of microplastics from environmental samples, designed to handle the challenges of biofilm contamination and surface aging that typically impede standard spectroscopic characterisation methods.

2017 Analytical Chemistry 117 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of learning models to predict LDPE, PET, and ABS concentrations in beach sediment based on spectral reflectance

Researchers compared machine learning models to predict concentrations of LDPE, PET, and ABS microplastics in beach sediments using visible-near-infrared spectral reflectance, demonstrating that spectroscopic methods can efficiently estimate microplastic pollution in understudied terrestrial and coastal environments.

2023 Scientific Reports 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Online in situ detection of atmospheric microplastics based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Researchers developed a laser-based detection system combined with machine learning that can identify and classify different types of microplastics in the air in real time. The system achieved high accuracy in distinguishing between common plastic types like polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC. Better tools for monitoring airborne microplastics are important because people inhale these particles daily, and understanding what types are present in the air is the first step toward assessing respiratory health risks.

2025 Journal of Laser Applications 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics in the tropical Indian Ocean based on laser direct infrared imaging and microwave-assisted matrix digestion

Researchers characterized microplastic distribution across the tropical Indian Ocean using a new quantum cascade laser imaging method, finding an average concentration of 50 particles per cubic meter at depths of 6 meters. The new analytical approach analyzed up to 1,000 particles per hour with over 97% identification accuracy, enabling faster and more reliable monitoring.

2022 Environmental Pollution 61 citations
Review Tier 2

Harnessing Machine Learning and Deep Learning Approaches for Laser‐Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Data Analysis: A Comprehensive Review

Machine learning and deep learning approaches were reviewed for their applications in detecting, classifying, and quantifying microplastics in environmental and biological samples. The review highlights how AI is transforming the speed and scale of microplastic analysis, enabling large-scale monitoring programs.

2025 Analysis & Sensing 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fast identification of microplastics in complex environmental samples by a thermal degradation method

Researchers developed a fast identification method for microplastics in complex environmental samples using thermal analysis, offering a high-throughput alternative to spectroscopic techniques for polymer identification.

2017 Chemosphere 598 citations
Article Tier 2

An investigation on the applications of advanced Infrared Spectroscopy, Spectral Imaging and Machine Learning for Polymer Characterization, including microplastics

This study integrated advanced infrared spectroscopy, spectral imaging, chemometrics, and machine learning to identify and characterize microplastics and polymer degradation products. The combination of techniques improved both the accuracy and throughput of MP analysis compared to conventional methods.

2025 Research Repository UCD (University College Dublin)