Advanced microplastic monitoring using Raman spectroscopy with a combination of nanostructure-based substrates

Abstract

Micro(nano)plastic (MNP) pollutants have not only impacted human health directly, but are also associated with numerous chemical contaminants that increase toxicity in the natural environment. Most recent research about increasing plastic pollutants in natural environments have focused on the toxic effects of MNPs in water, the atmosphere, and soil. The methodologies of MNP identification have been extensively developed for actual applications, but they still require further study, including on-site detection. This review article provides a comprehensive update on the facile detection of MNPs by Raman spectroscopy, which aims at early diagnosis of potential risks and human health impacts. In particular, Raman imaging and nanostructure-enhanced Raman scattering have emerged as effective analytical technologies for identifying MNPs in an environment. Here, the authors give an update on the latest advances in plasmonic nanostructured materials-assisted SERS substrates utilized for the detection of MNP particles present in environmental samples. Moreover, this work describes different plasmonic materials—including pure noble metal nanostructured materials and hybrid nanomaterials—that have been used to fabricate and develop SERS platforms to obtain the identifying MNP particles at low concentrations. Plasmonic nanostructure-enhanced materials consisting of pure noble metals and hybrid nanomaterials can significantly enhance the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra signals of pollutant analytes due to their localized hot spots. This concise topical review also provides updates on recent developments and trends in MNP detection by means of SERS using a variety of unique materials, along with three-dimensional (3D) SERS substrates, nanopipettes, and microfluidic chips. A novel material-assisted spectral Raman technique and its effective application are also introduced for selective monitoring and trace detection of MNPs in indoor and outdoor environments. Graphical abstract

The potential role of micro- and nanoplastics in the spread of viruses

“…Для определения химической характеристики микропластика в настоящее время используют инфракрасную спектрометрию с преобразованием Фурье (FT-IR) и рамановскую спектрометрию [43,44]. Гидродинамический диаметр, дисперсность частиц, дзета-потенциал и электорофоретическую подвижность наночастиц можно оценить с помощью динамического рассеяния света.…”

“…Идентификацию проводят путём сравнения со стандартными спектрами или пирограммами пластика [45]. Комбинация просвечивающей электронной микроскопии, сканирующей электронной микроскопии с энергодисперсионной рентгеновской спектроскопией может быть использована для анализа дисперсности, морфологии и состава наночастиц [43,44]. Вместе с тем, необходимо дальнейшее совершенствование методов для определения характеристик наночастиц из реальной, а не моделированной окружающей среды.…”

Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Polyethylene Terephthalate and Detection of Microplastic Particles Down to 1 μm

“…Micro-Raman spectroscopy enables the precise identification not only of plastics, but also of inorganic substances and various additives. 41,42 Given the growing concern about the environmental consequences of plastic degradation, this study assumes that exposure of polyethylene terephthalate to γ-irradiation in aqueous solutions leads to the formation of microplastic particles. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the effects of different doses of γ-irradiation (10, 50, and 100 kGy) on both virgin and recycled PET samples.…”

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

“…26 Therefore, in situ microplastic detection tools are needed to capture the transport dynamics of microplastics and track their sources in marine environments. [26][27][28] Recently, integration of microfluidic chips, as add-ons, into ex situ detection mechanisms (e.g., visual inspection, 29 Raman [30][31][32] and FTIR spectroscopy 32,33 ) have enhanced the throughput, automation, and spatiotemporal resolutions of these methods. More importantly, microfluidic sensors have emerged as potential tools to pave the way for high-throughput, label-free, real-time, and point-of-need detection of microplastics.…”