Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

From the synthesis of labeled nanoplastic model materials (isotopic and metallic) to their use in ecotoxicological studies with the detection and quantification analytical methods.

Researchers synthesized isotopically and metallically labeled nanoplastic model materials to enable tracking and quantification of plastic nanoparticles in complex biological and environmental matrices at trace concentrations. The labeled models supported mechanistic studies of nanoplastic fate and exposure by allowing detection at environmentally relevant concentrations not achievable with conventional unlabeled particles.

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

From the synthesis of labeled nanoplastic model materials (isotopic and metallic) to their use in ecotoxicological studies with the detection and quantification analytical methods.

This study developed labeled nanoplastic model materials using isotopic and metallic tracers to enable tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in complex biological and environmental matrices at environmentally relevant concentrations. Labeled particles allowed localization and measurement of nanoplastics at levels not detectable by conventional methods, advancing mechanistic exposure studies.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Fluorescent plastic nanoparticles to track their interaction and fate in physiological environments

This study developed fluorescently labeled plastic nanoparticles made from PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene that can be tracked in biological environments to study how nanoplastics are taken up and processed by living organisms. Having trackable model nanoplastics is an important tool for understanding how these particles move through tissues and food chains.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Developing nano plastics models to study their fate in the environment.

Researchers synthesized nanoplastic model particles with well-defined properties to study their environmental fate and transport under controlled conditions. Standardized nanoplastic models allow more reproducible experiments and help bridge the gap between lab studies and real-world nanoplastic behavior.

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

Developing nano plastics models to study their fate in the environment.

Researchers developed nanoplastic model particles with defined properties to study their behavior and fate in environmental systems. Standardized nanoplastic models are needed because naturally occurring nanoplastics are difficult to isolate and characterize for controlled experiments.

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

Synthesis of metal-doped nanoplastics and their utility to investigate fate and behaviour in complex environmental systems

Researchers developed a method to synthesize metal-doped nanoplastics that use an entrapped metal tracer for easy detection in complex environmental systems, demonstrating in wastewater treatment simulations that over 98% of nanoplastics associate with sewage sludge — providing a robust tool for studying nanoplastic fate and transport in real-world environments.

2019 Nature Nanotechnology 311 citations
Article Tier 2

Labelling of micro- and nanoplastics for environmental studies: state-of-the-art and future challenges

Researchers reviewed labelling techniques used to track micro- and nanoplastics in environmental studies, categorizing them into fluorescent, metal, stable isotope, and radioisotope methods. The study found that fluorescent labelling works well for tracking microplastics while metal labelling is more sensitive for nanoplastics research, though a major challenge remains in developing techniques that do not alter the inherent properties of the plastic particles being studied.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 30 citations
Article Tier 2

The micro-, submicron-, and nanoplastic hunt: A review of detection methods for plastic particles

This review systematically summarizes detection and characterization methods for micro-, submicron-, and nanoplastics, providing recommendations for method validation, standardization, and analytical pathways suited to different sample types and research goals.

2022 Chemosphere 136 citations
Article Tier 2

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

This study developed and characterized fluorescent model nanoplastics that can be tracked and identified by polymer type, providing standardized reference particles for laboratory research. Reliable model nanoplastics are critical tools for toxicology experiments — without them, it is difficult to compare results across studies or understand which plastic types pose the greatest biological risk.

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

Synthesis of model polyethylene particles for the study of nanoplastics in the oceans

Researchers synthesized model polyethylene nanoplastic particles to serve as reference materials for studying the behavior and fate of nanoplastics in ocean environments, addressing the gap created by the lack of standardized particles representative of naturally fragmented marine plastic debris.

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

Towards nanoplastic reference materials representative of partially degraded/naturally aged samples in complex food and environmental matrices

Researchers developed nanoplastic reference materials that better represent partially degraded and naturally aged particles found in real environmental and food matrices, addressing the gap left by commercially available monodispersed, spherical, surfactant-coated particles that do not reflect the polydispersed morphologies of environmental nanoplastics.

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

Nano-plastics and their analytical characterisation and fate in the marine environment: From source to sea

Researchers reviewed the sources, environmental fate, organism interactions, and analytical detection methods for nano-sized plastic polymers in the marine environment, concluding that nanoplastics pose the greatest ecological risk among plastic size fractions and that standardized analytical protocols for nanoplastic characterization are urgently needed.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 142 citations
Article Tier 2

Radiolabeling of Micro-/Nanoplastics via In-Diffusion

Researchers developed a radiolabeling method for micro- and nanoplastics by introducing a 64Cu radiotracer into common plastics including polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and others via an in-diffusion technique. The approach provides a sensitive and selective detection strategy for tracking plastic particles in complex ecological media, addressing a key challenge in environmental impact research.

2023 Nanomaterials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

The Challenge of the Analysis of Nanoplastics in the Environment: Current Status and Perspectives

This review examines the analytical challenges of detecting and characterising nanoplastics in environmental samples, presenting the state of the art in size determination, chemical composition analysis, and quantification techniques, as well as a survey of nanoplastic model materials used in the literature.

2022
Article Tier 2

Physicochemical characterization and quantification of nanoplastics: applicability, limitations and complementarity of batch and fractionation methods

Researchers evaluated a suite of techniques for measuring the size, shape, and chemical makeup of nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — and found that no single method works for all sample types, especially when particles vary in size or clump together. Combining multiple complementary techniques is essential for reliable nanoplastic characterization, particularly in complex environmental or biological samples.

2023 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 56 citations
Article Tier 2

A reliable procedure to obtain environmentally relevant nanoplastic proxies

Researchers developed a reliable procedure for producing nanoplastic proxies with properties more representative of environmentally aged nanoplastics, addressing the urgent need for better reference materials in nanoplastic fate, transport, and toxicology research.

2021 Environmental Science Nano 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Europium-labelled nanopolystyrene as model nanoplastics for environmental fate investigations: Synthesis and optimisation

Researchers developed a method to track nanoplastics in the environment by embedding the rare-earth element europium into polystyrene nanoparticles, enabling precise detection using single-particle mass spectrometry even at very low concentrations. The europium label stayed locked inside the particles for over a week in both fresh and salt water, making this a reliable tool for studying how nanoplastics move and persist in ecosystems.

2025 Polymer Testing
Article Tier 2

Challenges in assessing ecological and health risks of microplastics and nanoplastics: tracking their dynamics in living organisms

Researchers proposed a new method for tracking micro- and nanoplastics in living organisms using fluorescent monomers built directly into the plastic particles during synthesis. Current detection methods require destructive sampling and only provide static snapshots, missing the real-time movement of particles through biological systems. This fluorescent monomer approach is designed to enable continuous, stable imaging of plastic particles as they move through complex biological environments.

2026 New Contaminants
Article Tier 2

Production, labeling, and applications of micro- and nanoplastic reference and test materials

This study reviews methods for producing, labeling, and applying micro- and nanoplastic reference and test materials for research purposes. The researchers address the growing need for in-house production of standardized test materials, driven by challenges in extracting these particles from the environment and the limited range of commercially available options.

2025 Environmental Science Nano 7 citations
Article Tier 2

A comprehensive toolkit for micro- to nanoplastic analysis

This review presents a unified analytical toolkit integrating mass-based, particle-based, and morphology-based approaches to enable reliable detection, quantification, and standardization of micro- and nanoplastics across diverse environmental matrices. The framework is intended to improve comparability across studies and support robust monitoring of plastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

The environmental fate of nanoplastics: What we know and what we need to know about aggregation

Researchers systematically analyzed experimental studies on nanoplastic aggregation behavior, evaluating the environmental relevance of 377 solution chemistries and 163 particle models. The study found that commonly used polymer latex spheres do not accurately represent real-world nanoplastics, and suggests that incidentally produced nanoplastics may be more sensitive to heteroaggregation than previously expected.

2023 NanoImpact 129 citations
Article Tier 2

13C-labeled nanoplastic model materials: Synthesis and evaluation of their use in ecotoxicology through bioaccumulation studies in aquatic crustaceans

Researchers developed carbon-13 labeled nanoplastic particles as a new tool for accurately tracking and measuring nanoplastics in living organisms. By combining stable isotope labeling with mass spectrometry, they could detect nanoplastics in complex biological samples like brine shrimp without the extensive sample preparation that current methods require. The approach provides a more reliable way to study how nanoplastics accumulate in aquatic food chains.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Small micro- and nanoplastic test and reference materials for research: Current status and future needs

This review highlights the critical shortage of well-characterized, environmentally relevant reference materials for studying small microplastics and nanoplastics. Most laboratory studies use commercially available spherical particles that do not represent the irregular, weathered particles found in nature. The authors call for developing standardized reference materials that better mimic real-world microplastic contamination to improve the reliability of exposure and hazard assessments.

2025 1 citations