Raman Spectroscopy Based Approaches for Microplastics Investigations

The presence of microplastics (MPs) is becoming a significant environmental concern, as reports highlight their widespread occurrence in both urbanized areas and remote ecosystems. Microplastics smaller than 5 mm, have accumulated globally in the environment, because of the direct release of small plastic particles or due to the fragmentation of larger plastic items. The consumption of microplastics can lead to harmful toxicological and physical effects. In order to ensure precise comparisons, it is essential to utilize reliable and standardized methods during monitoring studies. Although microscopic techniques are frequently employed for microplastic identification, they may produce inadequate outcomes when analysing minuscule particles. The integration of chemical analysis techniques, such as spectroscopy, can overcome the current limitation in identifying polymer types. Visual observation can be combined with chemical analysis to enhance the identification process. Raman spectroscopy is extensively favoured for microplastics research due to its numerous advantages over Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Unlike FTIR, Raman spectroscopy is not affected by water, offers enhanced spectral resolution, and is less susceptible to fluorescence. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy is recognized for its minimal sample preparation requirements when compared to FTIR, making it a more efficient choice for this specific research area. Conventional Raman spectroscopy faces challenges in detecting these particles due to their inherently low scattering cross-section, particularly due to their small size. As a result, researchers have turned to surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for nanoplastics (NPs) analysis. The Raman tweezers technique displays significant potential in capturing and chemically examining individual microplastics in a water-based context. This approach also has the capability to capture and chemically evaluate individual microplastics in an aqueous setting. The main objective of this study is to explore the potential use of Raman Spectroscopy methods for the analysis of microplastics present in our environment.