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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Near-infrared imaging spectroscopy (NIRIS) and image rank analysis for remote identification of plastics in mixed
D Wienke1, W Van Den Broek, W Melssen
1Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Catholic University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, NL-6525 ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
An infrared camera with focal plane InSb array detector has been applied to the characterization of macroscopic samples of household waste over distances up to two meters. Per waste sample (singelized), a sequence of images was taken at six optical wavelength ranges in the near infrared region (1100 nm - 2500 nm). The obtained three-dimensional data stack served as individual fingerprint per sample. An abstract factor rotation of this stack of six images into a spectroscopical meaningful intermediate six-element vector by Multivariate Image Rank Analysis (MIRA) finally provided a decision limit for the discrimination of plastics and nonplastics. A correct classification of better than 80% has been reached. The experimental NIRIS set-up has been automated so far to allow an on-line identification of a real world waste sample within a few seconds.
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