Research group presents innovative Raman platform for rapid detection of microplastics.

Microplastics are considered a growing environmental hazard worldwide—tiny plastic particles pollute oceans, rivers, and soil. Analyzing them has been a complex task up to now, as established methods are slow and offer either high resolution or a large field of view, but rarely both at the same time.

Shiwani Shiwani has now presented a new platform in the journal “ACS Omega” that solves this problem: a Raman spectroscopy system with high sample throughput. With a field of view of 3.15 × 2.10 mm² and a resolution of 1.4 micrometers, it can identify microplastic particles ranging in size from 7 to over 400 micrometers quickly, accurately, and without additional markers.

The system combines state-of-the-art image processing, automatic focus control, and spectral analysis into a continuous workflow. This allows the shape, size, and chemical composition of microplastic particles to be determined efficiently, even in large sample quantities. Tests on reference samples confirmed the high accuracy and reliability of the method.

With this development, the team is setting a new standard for environmental analysis. The platform opens up prospects for large-scale investigation of microplastics and could make important contributions to the observation and control of plastic pollution.

We warmly congratulate Shiwani on her significant contribution!

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• Journal: ACS Omega