Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Visualization and Detection of Polystyrene Micro(nano)plastics in PM2.5 by Atomic Force Microscopy–Raman Spectroscopic Imaging

Researchers developed a novel atomic force microscopy–Raman spectroscopy imaging method to simultaneously detect and characterize polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in atmospheric PM2.5, enabling both morphological and chemical identification of plastic particles that could not be resolved by conventional spectroscopic approaches alone.

2025 Analytical Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Overcoming resolution limitations: Spectroscopy of sub-30 nm nanoplastics

Researchers developed a multi-technique approach combining standard micro-Raman spectroscopy with atomic force microscopy to characterize nanoplastics as small as 25 nm, achieving a mass detection limit of 8.6 attograms and demonstrating the capability to obtain single-particle spectra from sub-30 nm polystyrene nanoparticles.

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

Overcoming resolution limitations: Spectroscopy of sub-30 nm nanoplastics

Researchers developed a multi-technique approach combining standard micro-Raman spectroscopy with atomic force microscopy to characterize nanoplastics as small as 25 nm, achieving a mass detection limit of 8.6 attograms and demonstrating the capability to obtain single-particle spectra from sub-30 nm polystyrene nanoparticles.

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

Direct Nanoplastics Detection Below the Diffraction Limit Using Micro Raman

Researchers demonstrated that micro-Raman spectroscopy can directly detect polystyrene nanoplastic particles as small as 20 nm — far below the normal diffraction limit. This advances analytical capabilities for detecting the smallest nanoplastic particles in environmental samples.

2023
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

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 novel single-particle analytical method combining fluorescence microscopy, Raman microspectrometry, and SEM/EDX to characterize inhalable airborne microplastics smaller than 10 µm in ambient PM10 aerosols, addressing a critical gap in understanding respiratory exposure to plastic particles.

2023
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
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

Localisation and identification of polystyrene particles in tissue sections using Raman spectroscopic imaging

Researchers developed a Raman spectroscopic imaging method to localize and identify polystyrene microplastic particles directly within tissue sections, enabling in-situ detection without fluorescent labeling and making environmental sample analysis feasible.

2023 NanoImpact 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Single-particle investigation of airborne microplastics of inhalable size (<10 μm) using fluorescence microscopy, Raman microspectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry in combination

Researchers developed a new analytical strategy combining fluorescence microscopy, Raman microspectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy to reliably detect and characterize inhalable airborne microplastics smaller than 10 µm, finding approximately 800 microplastic particles per cubic meter in ambient urban air.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

In situ chemical characterization of airborne nanoplastic particles by aerosol mass spectrometry

Researchers used aerosol mass spectrometry to chemically characterize airborne nanoplastic particles in real time in urban air. They detected multiple polymer types including polyethylene and polystyrene at concentrations that varied with location and weather conditions. This approach enables in situ monitoring of atmospheric nanoplastics without sample collection, advancing understanding of human inhalation exposure.

2023
Article Tier 2

Sub-10 nm Nanoparticle Detection Using Multi-Technique-Based Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

Researchers combined standard micro-Raman spectroscopy with atomic force microscopy to detect individual nanoparticles as small as 9 nm — a size range that until now required far more complex and time-consuming instruments. This advance matters for microplastic research because plastics continuously fragment into nanoplastics, and having accessible tools to characterise these ultra-small particles is essential for understanding their environmental distribution and biological uptake.

2023 Polymers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel application of thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry for polystyrene quantification in the PM10 and PM2.5 fractions of airborne microplastics

Researchers developed a thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry method to quantify airborne polystyrene microplastics and found that most airborne polystyrene exists in the lung-penetrating PM2.5 fraction, with agricultural practices identified as a likely source.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanomechanical Atomic Force Microscopy to Probe Cellular Microplastics Uptake and Distribution

Researchers used atomic force microscopy in a specialized nanomechanical mode to visualize how human skin cells take up and distribute polystyrene microplastics. They were able to distinguish between particles attached to the cell surface and those internalized within the cell, detecting particles as small as 500 nanometers. The study demonstrates a powerful new technique for studying how plastic particles interact with human cells at the nanoscale.

2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of Microplastics Using a Custom Built Micro-Raman Spectrometer

Researchers built a custom micro-Raman spectrometer and demonstrated its use for identifying microplastic polymer types in environmental samples, achieving sensitive and specific polymer identification at particle sizes down to a few micrometers.

2023 Journal of Physics Conference Series 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Hyperspectral TERS Imaging Reveals Strain Heterogeneity in Individual Nanoplastic Particles

Researchers used AFM-based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (AFM-TERS) to chemically image individual polystyrene nanoplastic particles at nanometer resolution under ambient conditions. The technique revealed internal strain heterogeneity and chemical variability within single nanoplastic particles, demonstrating a powerful new tool for nanoplastic characterization.

2025 Nano Letters
Article Tier 2

Identification and visualisation of microplastics/nanoplastics by Raman imaging (i): Down to 100 nm

Researchers developed an advanced Raman imaging technique capable of identifying and visualizing nanoplastics down to 100 nanometers in size. The study addressed a key analytical gap, as nanoplastic research has been limited by the lack of effective characterization methods, and the new approach offers a way to detect these extremely small particles that may pose greater environmental risks due to their high surface area.

2020 Water Research 292 citations
Article Tier 2

A Novel Strategy to Directly Quantify Polyethylene Microplastics in PM2.5 Based on Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a new method using pyrolysis gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to directly measure polyethylene microplastics in fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5). This technique overcomes limitations of visual and spectroscopic methods that struggle to detect very small plastic particles in air samples. The study provides one of the first tools for accurately quantifying microplastics in PM2.5, helping researchers better understand the extent of airborne plastic pollution.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of polystyrene nanoplastics using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Researchers demonstrated for the first time that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using silver nanoparticles can identify polystyrene nanoplastics as small as 50 nm in real water samples, providing a rapid detection method that bypasses conventional sample preparation and could advance environmental monitoring of nanoplastics previously invisible to standard analytical techniques.

2020 Talanta 207 citations
Article Tier 2

Real-Time Detectionof Urban Atmospheric Micro–Nanoplasticsand Their Chemical Mixing State Using Bioaerosol Single-Particle MassSpectrometry

Researchers developed a bioaerosol single-particle mass spectrometry (Bio-SPAMS) approach for real-time detection of polystyrene micro-nanoplastics in urban air, identifying three diagnostic tracer ions as unambiguous PS markers and revealing that PS MNPs constitute 1.04% of total aerosols in a Chinese megacity. Approximately 76% of detected PS MNPs showed co-detection with nitrate and sulfate signatures, demonstrating active atmospheric aging via secondary pollutant uptake.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in air samples using tuneable resistive pulse sensing and raman spectroscopy

Researchers applied tunable resistive pulse sensing to characterize micro- and nanoplastics in air samples, evaluating the technique's sensitivity for detecting particles in the sub-micron range. The method provided size and concentration data for airborne nanoplastics that are not detectable by conventional spectroscopic techniques.

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

Analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in air samples using tuneable resistive pulse sensing and raman spectroscopy

Researchers used tunable resistive pulse sensing to analyze micro- and nanoplastics in air samples, testing the technique's ability to size and count particles in the nanometer range. The method showed promise for detecting nanoplastics in air, a scale that is particularly difficult to characterize with traditional techniques.

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

Raman Microscopy and Pyrolysis GC/MS for Comprehensive Analysis of PM10 Microplastics: Method Development and Urban-Rural Comparison

Researchers developed and validated a combined Raman microscopy and pyrolysis GC/MS method for comprehensive analysis of microplastics in PM10 airborne particulate matter, comparing urban and rural samples. Both methods detected microplastics in PM10 from all sites, with higher concentrations in urban air, and the combination provided complementary information on polymer composition and particle morphology.

2025
Article Tier 2

Analytical Challenges and Strategies for Particle-Based Analysis of Airborne Micro(nano)plastics in Size-Fractionated Samples Using Microscopy, SEM/EDX, and Raman Spectroscopy

This review covered analytical strategies for characterizing airborne microplastics as particles, addressing sampling challenges, detection methods including spectroscopy, and the importance of particle-level analysis for accurate exposure assessment. It identified key methodological gaps and recommended standardization approaches.

2024 Analytical Chemistry 7 citations