Latest Advances and Developments to Detection of Micro‐ and Nanoplastics Using Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

AbstractThe increasing demand for single‐use plastic‐based products worldwide has generated immense waste during the last decade. This review aims to summarize the current developments of surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for detecting micro‐ and nanoplastics in a variety of samples and environments. Despite the SERS technique being very recent for this purpose, its robustness has already been discussed in a few analyses focused on well‐known pollutants such as phthalates, plasticizers, and xenobiotic contaminants from commercially available water bottles. Here, the latest advances, obstacles, and perspectives are reviewed using SERS detection as a robust alternative for analyzing complex samples containing nanoplastic particles present in daily consumer products such as wine and vegetables. Moreover, this paper describes different SERS substrates developed to overcome the limitations for identifying polymer particles at low concentrations. Factors contributing to the sensitivity of SERS substrates are discussed to show the advantages and limitations of this technique. The broader role of SERS as a tool in environmental research is currently explored from polluted air and aquatic environments, which can be relevant for other fields, such as clinical monitoring and nanotoxicology.