A critical review of microplastics characterisation in aquatic environments: recent trends in the last 10 years
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Updated: May 16, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Rita Fernandes1,2, Roberto Martins2, Carlos Marques1,3
1CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. ar.correia.fernandes@ua.pt.
Abstract:
Anthropogenic activities have introduced various contaminants into freshwater and marine ecosystems. Microplastics (MPs) are persistent and ubiquitous contaminants threatening natural ecosystems and impairing organisms at different biological levels of organization. Their durability and degradation rate pose a great concern in the scientific community, and thus, several techniques have been used to detect MPs effectively. The present study critically reviews the most commonly used techniques (FTIR, Raman, and fluorescence) and others considered novel regarding MP detection and characterisation, namely LIBS. Despite the effectiveness of such methodologies, none are free from drawbacks. The scientific community must join efforts to create, for example, innovative real-time (bio)sensing methodologies for MPs to overcome this gap.
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