@article {3989,
	title = {Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the analysis of polyethylene microplastics in human soft tissues},
	journal = {Heliyon},
	volume = {10},
	year = {2024},
	pages = {e37844},
	abstract = {<p>People are exposed to microplastics (MPs) on a large scale in everyday life. However, it is not clear whether MPs can also be distributed and retained in certain tissues. Therefore, the development of analytical methods capable of detecting MPs in specific human organs/tissues is of utmost importance. In this study, the use and combination of spectroscopic techniques, namely Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), was tested for the detection of polyethylene (PE) MPs in human tonsils. Preliminary results showed that Raman microspectroscopy was able to detect MPs down to 1\&nbsp;μm in size and LIBS down to 10\&nbsp;μm. In the next step, human tonsils were spiked with PE MPs, and digested. The filtered particles were analyzed using Raman microspectroscopy and LIBS, and complemented by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results showed that Raman microspectroscopy could reliably detect PE MPs in spiked human tonsils, while LIBS and XRF served as a reference analytical method to characterize particles that could not be classified by Raman microspectroscopy for their non-organic origin. The results of this study, supported by a current feasibility study conducted on clinical samples, demonstrated the reliability and feasibility of this approach for monitoring MPs in biotic samples.</p>},
	issn = {2405-8440},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37844},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024138753}
}
@article {3632,
	title = {Laser-based techniques: Novel tools for the identification and characterization of aged microplastics with developed biofilm},
	journal = {Chemosphere},
	volume = {313},
	year = {2023},
	pages = {137373},
	abstract = {<p>Microplastics found in the environment are often covered with a biofilm, which makes their analysis difficult. Therefore, the biofilm is usually removed before analysis, which may affect the microplastic particles or lead to their loss during the procedure. In this work, we used laser-based analytical techniques and evaluated their performance in detecting, characterizing, and classifying pristine and aged microplastics with a developed biofilm. Five types of microplastics from different polymers were selected (polyamide, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride) and aged under controlled conditions in freshwater and wastewater. The development of biofilm and the changes in the properties of the microplastic were evaluated. The pristine and aged microplastics were characterized by standard methods (e.g., optical and scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy), and then laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were used. The results show that LIBS could identify different types of plastics regardless of the ageing and major biotic elements of the biofilm layer. LA-ICP-MS showed a high sensitivity to metals, which can be used as markers for various plastics. In addition, LA-ICP-MS can be employed in studies to monitor the adsorption and desorption (leaching) of metals during the ageing of microplastics. The use of these laser-based analytical techniques was found to be beneficial in the study of environmentally relevant microplastics.</p>},
	issn = {0045-6535},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137373},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653522038668}
}
