Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

IdentifyingMicroplastics in Laboratory and AtmosphericAerosol Mixtures via Optical Photothermal Infrared and Raman Microspectroscopy

This study applied optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to identify microplastics in atmospheric aerosol mixtures, demonstrating that the technique can distinguish plastic particles by polymer type in complex air samples relevant to understanding human inhalation exposure to airborne MPs.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy with simultaneously acquired Raman spectroscopy for two-dimensional microplastic identification

Researchers demonstrated that optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy combined with simultaneous Raman acquisition enables more reliable two-dimensional microplastic identification, overcoming limitations of individual FTIR or Raman techniques alone.

2022 Scientific Reports 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical characterization of microplastics from biosolids: a comparison of FTIR and O-PTIR microspectroscopy

Researchers compared conventional FTIR microspectroscopy with the emerging Optical Photothermal Infrared (O-PTIR) technique for chemical characterization and polymer-type identification of microplastics extracted from biosolids, finding that O-PTIR's submicron resolution and artifact-free spectra offer advantages over traditional methods.

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

Characterization of microplastics in tap water by optical photothermal infrared

Researchers used optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy to characterize microplastics in tap water, identifying particles as small as a few micrometers that conventional FTIR techniques cannot resolve. The higher detection sensitivity revealed that microplastic concentrations in drinking water are likely underestimated by standard methods.

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

Machine learning powered framework for detection of micro- and nanoplastics using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy

A machine learning framework was developed to detect and classify micro- and nanoplastics using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, addressing the lack of standardized detection methods in the field. The approach improves accuracy and consistency in identifying plastic particles, potentially enabling better monitoring of environmental and human health risks.

2023 EPJ Web of Conferences 2 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

Detection of Microplastics in Ambient Particulate Matter Using Raman Spectral Imaging and Chemometric Analysis

Researchers optimized Raman spectral imaging combined with chemometric analysis to detect and identify microplastics in ambient airborne particulate matter at sizes down to 2 micrometers. The study demonstrates a method for spectroscopically verifying the chemical composition of airborne microplastics, addressing concerns about human inhalation exposure to small plastic particles that can reach the lungs.

2020 Analytical Chemistry 176 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimizing microplastic analysis through comparative FTIR and raman spectroscopy: Addressing challenges in environmental degradation studies

This study optimized microplastic analysis by comparing FTIR and Raman spectroscopy approaches for identifying degraded polymer particles in environmental samples where photooxidation and mechanical fragmentation have altered spectral signatures. A combined spectroscopy approach outperformed either technique alone for accurately identifying degraded microplastics in complex environmental matrices.

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

Advanced analytical techniques for microplastics in the environment: a review

Researchers reviewed the most advanced laboratory tools for detecting and identifying microplastics in environmental samples — including infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and pyrolysis gas chromatography — summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of each technique to help researchers choose the right method for accurate microplastic analysis.

2023 Bulletin of the National Research Centre/Bulletin of the National Research Center 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Contributions of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in microplastic pollution research: A review

This review covers advances in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques — including chemical imaging — for identifying polymer types in microplastic samples and tracing their fate in different environmental matrices.

2020 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 480 citations
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

Characterization of microplastics in environment by thermal gravimetric analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Researchers developed a method combining thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify and quantify microplastics in environmental samples, demonstrating that the combined temperature profiles and absorption spectra provide greater discriminatory power than either technique alone.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 137 citations
Article Tier 2

Possibilities and Limitations of AFM-IR to Detect Nanoplastic Particles in the Atmosphere

Researchers evaluated the capabilities and limitations of AFM-IR spectroscopy for detecting nanoplastic particles in atmospheric samples. They found that while the technique can identify individual nanoplastic particles, significant challenges remain in quantifying atmospheric nanoplastic concentrations due to detection limits and sample preparation complexity. The study highlights the need for improved analytical methods to assess human inhalation exposure to nanoplastics.

2026 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

Short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging of microplastics: Effects of chemical and physical processes on spectral signatures and detection capabilities

Researchers evaluated short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging for rapid microplastic detection and polymer identification, testing the effects of various physical and chemical weathering agents on spectral signatures and finding the technique effective for identifying multiple polymer types in complex samples.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering
Article Tier 2

Raman Spectral Imaging for the Detection of Inhalable Microplastics in Ambient Particulate Matter Samples

Researchers developed a filter-based sampling method compatible with Raman spectral imaging to detect inhalable-sized microplastics in ambient air samples. They successfully identified and mapped plastic particles as small as a few micrometers on sampling filters. The study provides a practical new analytical approach for measuring airborne microplastic exposure, an area where reliable detection methods have been lacking.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 143 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fouling: A gap in knowledge and a research imperative to improve their study by infrared characterization spectroscopy

Researchers analysed 4,042 infrared spectra of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics collected from the Mediterranean Sea using principal component analysis, identifying that spectral variability in weathered marine microplastics is primarily driven by three processes: chemical ageing, organic fouling, and inorganic fouling.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of a multilevel micro/nano-plastics Infrared Spectroscopy using optical chopper modulation and induced anti-stokes shift techniques

Researchers designed a new infrared spectroscopy system combining optical modulation and laser techniques to detect nanoplastics and microplastics smaller than 10 micrometers — well below the 20-micrometer detection limit of most current instruments — potentially enabling more sensitive identification of the tiniest plastic particles in environmental samples.

2025 Results in Optics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne Microplastic in the Atmospheric Deposition and How to Identify and Quantify the Threat: Semi-Quantitative Approach Based on Kraków Case Study

Researchers developed semi-quantitative methods using ATR-FTIR, Py-GC-MS, and SEM-EDS to identify and characterize airborne microplastics in atmospheric deposition in Krakow, identifying multiple polymer types and tracking their seasonal variation.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Weathering-independent differentiation of microplastic polymers by reflectance IR spectrometry and pattern recognition

Researchers developed a weathering-independent method for identifying microplastic polymer types using reflectance infrared spectrometry combined with pattern recognition techniques including principal components analysis and classification trees, demonstrating reliable polymer differentiation even when field samples are weathered or biofouled.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 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

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)
Article Tier 2

Analytical methods for microplastics in the environment: a review

Researchers reviewed classical and advanced analytical methods for detecting microplastics in the environment. The methods covered include visual analysis, electron microscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry, providing a comprehensive overview of available tools for microplastic identification and quantification.

2022 Environmental Chemistry Letters 276 citations
Article Tier 2

Using Infrared Photothermal Heterodyne Imaging to Characterize Micro- and Nanoplastics in Complex Environmental Matrices

Researchers introduced infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (IR-PHI) as a 300 nm resolution technique for identifying and quantifying micro- and nanoplastics in complex environmental matrices, demonstrating its application to nylon tea bag leachates and sediment samples.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel Single-Particle Analytical Technique for Inhalable Airborne Microplastic Particles by the Combined Use of Fluorescence Microscopy, Raman Microspectrometry, and SEM/EDX

Researchers developed a new method combining fluorescence microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy to analyze individual airborne microplastic particles small enough to inhale. The technique can identify both the polymer type and chemical composition of particles under 10 micrometers found in urban air samples. Better tools for characterizing breathable microplastics are essential for understanding respiratory exposure risks.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 33 citations