Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in different water samples (seawater, freshwater, and wastewater): Methodology approach for characterization using micro-FTIR spectroscopy

Researchers developed a standardized methodology for detecting and characterizing small microplastics (10-500 micrometers) in different water types using micro-FTIR spectroscopy. The study tested various sample preparation approaches for seawater, freshwater, and wastewater, establishing reliable protocols for rinsing, digestion, and microplastic collection that can be used to assess treatment plant removal efficiency.

2023 Water Research 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Detecting small microplastics down to 1.3 μm using large area ATR-FTIR

Researchers introduced large-area ATR-FTIR spectroscopy as a new technique capable of detecting microplastics as small as 1.3 micrometers, outperforming conventional micro-FTIR for small particle detection in marine water samples.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimising H2O2 digestion and quantifying microplastics in sediment and pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) samples

Pacific oysters are widely used as sentinel species for monitoring microplastic pollution in coastal waters, but the lab methods used to extract plastics from their tissue are not well standardized, especially for small samples. This study refined hydrogen peroxide digestion protocols for tissue samples under 5 grams and found that oysters at Weston Shore in the UK contained microplastics dominated almost entirely by fibers (97%), consistent with global patterns. The improved method also delivers a 50% cost reduction, making routine monitoring more practical for researchers and environmental agencies.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics of a broad size range in commercially important mussels by combining FTIR and Raman spectroscopy approaches

Researchers developed an approach combining FTIR and Raman spectroscopy to analyze microplastics across a broad size range in commercially important mussels. They found that using both techniques together captured a wider spectrum of particle sizes and polymer types than either method alone. The study provides a more complete picture of microplastic contamination in seafood and highlights the importance of using complementary analytical methods for accurate assessment.

2020 Environmental Pollution 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Microplastics in Bivalves of Rock Oysters and Sea Clams in the South Central Coast, Vietnam

Researchers analyzed microplastics in rock oysters and sea clams collected from the South Central Coast of Vietnam using micro-FTIR spectroscopy. They found 1–21 particles per oyster individual and 4–5 per clam, with concentrations of 0.25–1.59 particles per gram of fresh tissue, predominantly fibers and fragments in the 50–500 µm range.

2025 VNU Journal of Science Earth and Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Additives, plasticizers, small microplastics (<100 μm), and other microlitter components in the gastrointestinal tract of commercial teleost fish: Method of extraction, purification, quantification, and characterization using Micro-FTIR

Researchers developed a Micro-FTIR extraction and identification method for small microplastics (under 100 µm) and plastic additives in the gastrointestinal tracts of five commercial Mediterranean fish species, finding species-specific contamination patterns with anchovies and sardines showing the highest microplastic burdens.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics extraction from oyster tissue v1

Researchers developed and validated a protocol for extracting microplastics from oyster tissue, addressing the challenges of isolating plastic particles from a complex biological matrix that includes lipids, proteins, and mineral content. The method enables reliable quantification of microplastic contamination in bivalves — a widely consumed seafood and established bioindicator of coastal pollution — supporting standardised monitoring of microplastic uptake in marine food species.

2024
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Microplastics and Small Microplastics (<100 ??????m) in Natural Waters via Micro-FTIR

This book chapter discussed using micro-FTIR spectroscopy to detect and quantify microplastics smaller than 100 µm in natural (marine and freshwater) water samples. The authors emphasized the importance of this size class for ecological risk and described practical considerations for accurate quantification.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Depuration in Two Commercially Farmed Oyster Species from the West Coast of Ireland

Researchers assessed microplastic depuration efficacy in Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) and European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) from Irish aquaculture over four depuration periods from 24 to 96 hours. MP concentrations in edible tissue were significantly reduced after 96-hour depuration in both species, with FTIR analysis revealing that over half of isolated fibers were of natural rather than synthetic origin.

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

Separation and identification of microplastics in marine organisms by TGA-FTIR-GC/MS: A case study of mussels from coastal China

A method using thermogravimetric analysis coupled with FTIR and GC-MS (TGA-FTIR-GC-MS) was developed and validated for detecting, identifying, and quantifying microplastics in marine mussels (Mytilus edulis). The multi-detector approach enabled simultaneous polymer identification and quantification in biogenic matrices.

2020 Environmental Pollution 129 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel method for purification, quantitative analysis and characterization of microplastic fibers using Micro-FTIR

Researchers developed an improved method for purifying, quantifying, and characterizing microplastic fibers using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, addressing the challenge that fibers are harder to process and identify than other microplastic shapes. The method improvements enable more accurate characterization of this common but technically challenging category of environmental microplastics.

2019 Chemosphere 191 citations
Article Tier 2

DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL PROTOCOL FOR THE EXTRACTION OF SMALL MICROPLASTICS (1-5 µm) FROM BIOLOGICAL TISSUES

Researchers developed a novel extraction protocol to isolate and quantify small microplastics (1–5 µm) from biological tissues, addressing a major gap in marine contamination studies. The method improves detection of these hard-to-analyze particles, which are more likely to penetrate cells and accumulate in organisms.

2025 Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino della Società Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale
Article Tier 2

Out of sight but not out of mind: Size fractionation of plastics bioaccumulated by field deployed oysters

Field-deployed oysters accumulated plastic particles below 1 micrometer in size, a size fraction largely ignored in prior studies, suggesting that existing monitoring of microplastics in filter feeders substantially underestimates total plastic body burden.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Detection Method for Nanoplastics in Shellfish

Researchers investigated detection methods for nanoplastics in shellfish, evaluating analytical techniques capable of identifying and quantifying nanoscale plastic particles in bivalve tissues. The study addresses the methodological challenges of isolating and characterizing nanoplastics from complex biological matrices.

2024 Taipei Medical University Repository
Article Tier 2

Optimising sample preparation for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge samples: multiple digestions

Researchers optimized sample digestion protocols for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge, finding that multiple sequential digestion steps improve removal of organic matter while minimizing polymer degradation.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion and egestion of polystyrene microplastic fragments by the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas

Researchers investigated size-specific ingestion and egestion of polystyrene microplastic fragments by Pacific oysters, finding that oysters can ingest and later expel microplastics, with the process varying by particle size.

2022 Environmental Pollution 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Small microplastic particles in Lake Superior: A preliminary study coupling Nile red staining, flow cytometry and pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A preliminary study coupled Nile Red staining with micro-FTIR to detect and characterize small microplastic particles (less than 10 micrometers) in Lake Superior, demonstrating the feasibility of the combined approach for analyzing the smallest and most challenging MP size classes.

2023 Limnology and Oceanography Methods 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Small microplastics (<100 μm), plasticizers and additives in seawater and sediments: Oleo-extraction, purification, quantification, and polymer characterization using Micro-FTIR

Small microplastics below 100 micrometers, plasticizers, and plastic additives were simultaneously quantified in seawater and sediments from Italian transitional water bodies using oleo-extraction and micro-FTIR, revealing that sub-100-micrometer particles and chemical additives represent a substantial and understudied component of total microplastic contamination.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 62 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel, density-independent and FTIR-compatible approach for the rapid extraction of microplastics from aquatic sediments

Researchers developed a novel extraction method for microplastics from aquatic sediments that does not rely on density separation, making it compatible with FTIR spectroscopy without requiring additional processing steps. The approach could simplify and speed up microplastic analysis in environmental samples.

2017 Analytical Methods 369 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

Extraction method development for nanoplastics from oyster and fish tissues

Researchers developed a method for extracting nanoplastics from oyster and fish tissues using enzymatic digestion, sequential membrane filtration, and purification steps, addressing a critical methodological gap for assessing nanoplastic contamination in seafood.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics in tap water by optical photothermal infrared

Researchers characterized microplastics in tap water using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, a technique that can identify particles smaller than 10 micrometers with high chemical specificity. The method detected a broader range of particle sizes than conventional FTIR microscopy, revealing higher microplastic concentrations in tap water than previously reported.

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

Abundance of microplastics in cultured oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from Danang Bay of Vietnam

Researchers determined the quantity, shape, size, and polymer types of microplastics in cultured Pacific oysters from Danang Bay, Vietnam, using infrared microscopy. The study found an average of 1.88 particles per gram of wet weight, with fragments being the most prevalent shape at nearly 74%. The findings highlight that cultured shellfish in coastal environments accumulate microplastics, with implications for food safety.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Probenaufbereitung für die Analyse auf Mikroplastik mit µFTIR-Spektroskopie: Untersuchung des enzymatischen Verdaus von Plankton mit FlowCam und µFTIR

This German-language study tested sample preparation methods for microplastic analysis using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, comparing different approaches for extracting particles from complex environmental matrices. Optimizing sample preparation is essential for generating reliable, reproducible data on microplastic types and concentrations in environmental samples.

2016 Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (Alfred-Wegener-Institut)