Detection and quantification of nano or micro plastic particles

This patented technology offers a high-resolution approach to identify plastic particles within complex heterogeneous matrices, such as food products, environmental samples, and consumer goods.

The method stands out by eliminating the need for chemical pre-treatment of samples, thereby offering a faster, safer, and more efficient analysis compared to existing techniques. It integrates ion beam irradiation with advanced detection methods like Raman spectroscopy and Confocal Raman Microscopy (CRM), enhancing the visibility and identification of plastic nanoparticles. This innovative approach not only simplifies the analysis process but also provides both qualitative and semi-quantitative data with high resolution and sensitivity.

See the patent on WIPO website

Reference

Patent: EP3918306

Publication date: 08 December 2021

Field of use

Environmental monitoring and research
Food contamination assessment
Consumer product and packaging safety
Public health and safety analysis
Water management and treatment
Food safety and quality control
Waste management and recycling
Cosmetics industry applications
Health and biomedical research

Main Advantages

The invention allows the detection of nano/micro plastic particles without any chemical pre-treatment of the sample, making it faster and safer.
The detection reduces the risk of sample degradation due to the use of corrosive chemicals.
The invention eliminates the need for tedious purification and separation procedures, saving time and resources.
The method integrates two processes within a single device: the chip facilitates sample deposition. Subsequently, microscopy and spectroscopy techniques are employed, enabling comprehensive analysis and characterization of nanoparticles.
The chip enables on-a-chip detection, which simplifies the overall process of nano-plastic analysis by integrating the separation, concentration, and detection steps into a single device.
It is a qualitative and semi-quantitative method, characterized by high resolution and sensitivity.
It enables the detection and quantification of micro and nano plastic particles in a variety of complex heterogeneous matrices, including seafood, sediments, sea organisms, animals, plants, and more.
The method has the potential to become fully automated.
The method can be integrated with another proprietary technology to enhance the characterization of the hydrophobic properties of nanoparticles.

Competitive edge

Compared with other detection methods, our technology stands out with its precision, range of detection, sample preparation and non-destructive approach.

Comparison of the JRC developed technology with other methods for detection of micro/nano plastic particles:

	Precision	Quantitative/qualitative	Range of detection	Sample preparation	Duration	Destructive/ non-destructive	Other advantages/ disadvantages
Stereomicroscopy	Low	Qualitative	>500 μm	Minimal (visual observation, possible dye use)	Low	Non-destructive	Subjective, tedious, dependent on observer
Scanning Electron Microscopy	High	Qualitative	1 μm to 1 mm	Extensive (requires conductive coating)	High	Destructive	High capital and maintenance costs, skilled operation required
Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy	Moderate	Both qualitative and quantitative	<1 to 1000 mm	Extensive (requires clean, dry samples)	Moderate	Non-destructive	High capital costs, limited accessibility, moisture interference
Raman Spectroscopy	High	Both qualitative and quantitative	<20 μm	Moderate (requires clean samples)	Moderate	Non-destructive	Not affected by sample thickness/moisture, can be automated
Atomic Force Microscopy-Infrared Spectroscopy	Very high	Qualitative	As low as 50 nm	Moderate (requires accessible samples for AFM)	High	Destructive	High spatial resolution, detailed physiochemical properties
Flow Cytometry	Moderate	Quantitative	≥0.2 μm	Moderate (requires staining with dyes)	Moderate	Non-destructive	Automatic sorting, dye aggregation issues
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization	High	Qualitative	Not known	Minimal sample treatment	Moderate	Destructive	Wide mass range detection, can characterize complex polymers
Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry	High	Quantitative	Not limited by size	Extensive (requires thermal decomposition)	High	Destructive	Provides mass of polymers, no particle count or shape info
Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry	High	Quantitative	Limited to certain polymers	Extensive (requires depolymerization)	High	Destructive	Provides mass and quantity of particles
This patent (Ion Beam Irradiation & Raman/Infrared Nanoscopy)	High	Both semi-quantitative and qualitative	Nano to Micro scale	Minimal (application of sample to conductive support, possible drying)	Moderate	Non-destructive	High resolution and sensitivity