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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Multimodal Analysis of Microplastics in Drinking Water using a Silicon Nanomembrane Analysis Pipeline
Published on: June 13, 2025
Using optimized particle imaging of micro-Raman to characterize microplastics in water samples
Minglu Ma1, Jian Zhao2, Dongyu Xu3
1State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China; Institute of Coastal Environmental Pollution Control, Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
A new micro-Raman automatic particle identification (MR-API) technique rapidly and precisely characterizes microplastics (MPs) in water. This method significantly reduces analysis time compared to traditional techniques, offering a promising tool for environmental monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Accurate characterization of microplastics (MPs) in water is crucial for understanding their environmental impact.
- Traditional methods like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy are time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a highly precise and time-saving technique for microplastic characterization.
- To validate the effectiveness of the developed method for analyzing environmental samples.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of micro-Raman automatic particle identification (MR-API) for MP analysis.
- Optimization of detection parameters including magnification, exposure time, and number of scans.
- Validation using known plastic types (mask leachates) and unknown environmental samples (urban lake).
Main Results:
- The MR-API method achieved MP recovery rates of 61.67-90.00%.
- Analysis of mask leachates identified 0.92 ± 0.49% MPs, while an urban river sample revealed various MP types (PP, PET, PE, PVC, PS, EVA, VC/VAC).
- Significant time savings of 75.03% and 58.38% compared to conventional micro-FTIR and point-by-point micro-Raman methods, respectively.
Conclusions:
- The MR-API technique offers a highly efficient and precise method for microplastic detection in environmental samples.
- This advanced technique demonstrates excellent prospects for routine environmental monitoring and research.
