Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Filtering and continuously separating microplastics from water using electric field gradients formed electrochemically in the absence of buffer

Scientists developed a microfluidic system that uses electric fields to continuously separate particles — including microplastics — from water flow without chemical additives. Electric field-based separation could offer a low-energy, chemical-free approach to removing microplastics from water streams.

2021 Chemical Science 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Focusing, sorting, and separating microplastics by serial faradaic ion concentration polarization

Researchers demonstrated a microfluidic technique that uses electric fields to continuously separate two types of microplastic particles in flowing water. This lab-on-chip approach could be developed into tools for monitoring or removing specific microplastic types from water treatment systems.

2020 Chemical Science 54 citations
Article Tier 2

A microfluidic approach for label-free identification of small-sized microplastics in seawater

Researchers developed a microfluidic approach for label-free identification of small microplastics in seawater, using impedance-based detection to distinguish different polymer types without chemical labeling, enabling faster and more practical environmental monitoring.

2023 Scientific Reports 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrochemical Detection of Microplastics in Water Using Ultramicroelectrodes

Researchers developed a new electrochemical method for detecting microplastics in water using ultramicroelectrodes. The technique works by monitoring changes in electrical current when microplastic particles collide with and adsorb onto the electrode surface, and the size distributions obtained closely matched independent measurements, demonstrating its potential as a practical detection tool.

2024 Chemosensors 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Design, fabrication, and application of electrochemical sensors for microplastic detection: a state-of-the-art review and future perspectives

This review covers recent advances in electrochemical sensors for detecting microplastics in environmental samples, which offer advantages in sensitivity and portability over conventional laboratory methods. Researchers highlight strategies using nanomaterials, molecular imprinting, and surface-enhanced techniques to improve detection capabilities. The study suggests that electrochemical sensors represent a promising path toward affordable, rapid, on-site monitoring of microplastic pollution.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Simple microfluidic device for simultaneous extraction and detection of microplastics in water using DC electrical signal

A simple microfluidic device using a DC electric field between two microwires in a straight channel was developed to simultaneously extract and detect microplastics from water via electrophoretic accumulation. The compact design offers a rapid, low-cost approach to microplastic monitoring.

2023 New Journal of Chemistry 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Preconcentration of nanoplastics using micro-electromembrane extraction across free liquid membranes

Researchers developed a miniaturized electrical extraction technique that concentrates nanoplastics from liquid samples across a thin oil membrane using an electric field, then analyzes them using capillary electrophoresis. The method achieved over 20-fold concentration of nanoplastics in just 5 minutes and successfully removed interfering compounds from tea samples, offering a fast and sensitive tool for detecting nanoplastics in complex real-world liquids.

2024 Advances in Sample Preparation 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Continuous Ion Separations by Insertion Processes

Researchers investigated electrochemically active membranes that use ion insertion processes to continuously separate ions with tunable selectivity and permeance, offering a more energy-efficient alternative to thermal distillation for industrial chemical separations.

2023
Article Tier 2

Multiplexed and Membraneless Redox‐Mediated Electrochemical Separations Through Bipolar Electrochemistry

This electrochemistry paper presents a multiplexed, membraneless redox-mediated electrochemical separation system; it involves advanced materials science but is not directly related to microplastic environmental health research.

2025 ChemSusChem 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microfluidic Devices for Microplastics Separation and Identification

This thesis explored the application of low-cost microfluidic devices for separating and identifying microplastics in water and biological samples, developing novel analytical platforms with potential for scalable environmental monitoring and detection of plastic particles.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastic separation and enrichment in microchannels under derivative electric field gradient by bipolar electrode reactions

Researchers used microfluidic channels equipped with bipolar electrodes to create electric field gradients that efficiently separate and concentrate microplastic particles from water at the microscale. Computer simulations optimized the channel design and voltage settings, offering a potential precision tool for removing microplastics from aquatic environments.

2024 Scientific Reports 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Current perspectives, challenges, and future directions in the electrochemical detection of microplastics

This review examines the emerging use of electrochemical sensors for detecting microplastics in the environment. Researchers found that while electrochemical methods have been widely explored for microplastic removal, their potential as low-cost detection tools remains largely untapped. The study highlights recent advances in nanoimpact techniques and electrode modifications that could make environmental microplastic monitoring more practical and affordable.

2024 RSC Advances 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: Impact of microfluidic cell and particle separation techniques on microplastic removal strategies

Researchers reviewed how microfluidic technology — the same miniaturized tools used in medical diagnostics to sort cells — could be adapted to separate and recover microplastics from water, offering a more precise and scalable alternative to conventional filtration methods used in wastewater treatment.

2024 Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

A new approach in separating microplastics from environmental samples based on their electrostatic behavior

Researchers developed a novel electrostatic separation method to isolate microplastics from environmental matrices based on differences in electrostatic behavior between plastic particles and natural materials. The technique offers a low-cost, chemical-free approach to microplastic extraction that could complement or replace existing density separation methods in some applications.

2017 Environmental Pollution 245 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastics by microfluidic microwave sensing: An exploratory study

Researchers developed a compact microwave sensor on a microfluidic chip to detect microplastics in water samples. The system works by measuring how the presence of plastic particles changes the electrical properties of water. While the technology shows promise as a rapid and portable detection method, its current sensitivity needs improvement before it can detect the low microplastic concentrations typically found in natural freshwater.

2024 Sensors and Actuators A Physical 18 citations
Article Tier 2

DC Versus AC Electrokinetic-Driven Strategy Coupled with a Miniaturized Electrochemical-SERS Hydrogel Chip toward Dynamic Monitoring of Microplastics

DC versus AC electrokinetic strategies coupled with microfluidic devices were compared for separating and concentrating microplastics from water samples. The study advances electrokinetic methods as efficient tools for microplastic extraction and preconcentration ahead of analysis.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A microfluidic device for size-based microplastics and microalgae separation

Researchers designed a microfluidic device that separates microplastics and microalgae by size using controlled flow patterns. The device could be used to isolate microplastics from complex environmental water samples containing biological material, improving the accuracy of microplastic monitoring.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

In-situ microplastic pre-treatment and sorting using an inertial microfluidic device

Researchers developed an inertial microfluidic device capable of pre-treating and sorting microplastics in situ, enabling separation of particles by size and shape prior to chemical analysis or recycling. The system demonstrates the viability of microfluidics for scalable microplastic processing, supporting both environmental monitoring and potential resource recovery applications.

2025 Espace ÉTS (ETS)
Article Tier 2

Development of microfluidic device to monitor the contamination in drinking water using impedance spectroscopy

Researchers developed a microfluidic device using electrical impedance spectroscopy to detect and monitor microplastic particles in drinking water. The device aimed to provide a real-time, sensitive method for MP contamination monitoring at the point of use.

2025
Article Tier 2

Surface nanodroplet-based nanoextraction from sub-milliliter volumes of dense suspensions

Scientists developed a rapid micro-extraction technique using tiny surface droplets that can concentrate trace chemicals from very small sample volumes. This analytical method could be adapted for detecting microplastic-associated chemicals in water and environmental samples.

2021 Lab on a Chip 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Ion concentration polarization focusing at a millimeter-scale microbead junction: towards higher volumetric throughput

Despite its title referencing microbeads ("microbead junction" in the abstract refers to ion-exchange resin beads used in electrochemistry), this paper studies a technique for concentrating charged molecules in solution using electrical fields — not microplastic pollution. It examines electrokinetic focusing performance at different channel scales, and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Lab on a Chip 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An Electrochemical Biosensing Approach for Detection of Microplastic Beads

Researchers developed an electrochemical enzyme-based biosensor to detect microplastic beads across a range of sizes in water, providing a simpler and lower-cost detection approach than conventional spectroscopic methods for environmental and public health monitoring.

2025
Article Tier 2

Application of a Micro Free-Flow Electrophoresis 3D Printed Lab-on-a-Chip for Micro-Nanoparticles Analysis

Researchers developed a 3D-printed microfluidic chip using free-flow electrophoresis to separate and analyze micro- and nanoparticles in a low-cost, reproducible device. This type of miniaturized lab technology could improve environmental monitoring of nanoplastics and other fine particles in water samples.

2020 Nanomaterials 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics detection by impact electrochemistry

This paper explores impact electrochemistry—a technique where individual particles colliding with an electrode generate detectable electrical pulses—as a method for detecting and characterizing microplastics in water. The approach offers the potential for rapid, single-particle detection without the need for complex sample preparation or optical instruments, which could make microplastic monitoring cheaper and more accessible. Developing faster and simpler detection methods is important for scaling up environmental monitoring programs.

2026 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository