Increasing the accessibility for characterizing microplastics: Introducing new application-based and spectral libraries of plastic particles (SLoPP & SLoPP-E).

As smaller particle sizes are increasingly included in microplastic research, it is critical to chemically characterize microparticles to identify whether particles are indeed microplastics. To increase the accessibility of methods for characterizing microparticles via Raman spectroscopy, we created an application-based library of Raman spectroscopy parameters specific to microplastics based on color, morphology and size. We also created two spectral libraries that are representative of microplastics found in environmental samples. Here, we present SLoPP, a Spectral Library of Plastic Particles consisting of 148 reference spectra, including a diversity of polymer types, colors and morphologies. To account for the effects of aging on microplastics and associated changes to Raman spectra, we present a Spectral Library of Plastic Particles aged in the Environment (SLoPP-E). SLoPP-E includes 113 spectra, including a diversity of types, colors and morphologies. The microplastics used to make SLoPP-E include environmental samples obtained across a range of matrices, geographies and time. Our libraries increase the likelihood of spectral matching for a broad range of microplastics because our libraries include plastics containing a range of additives and pigments that are not generally included in commercial libraries. When used in combination with commercial libraries of over 24,000 spectra, 63% of the top 5 matches across all particles tested (product and environmental) are from SLoPP and SLoPP-E. These tools were developed to improve the accessibility of microplastics research in response to a growing and multidisciplinary field, as well as to enhance data quality and consistency.

• Publication year

  2020

• Venue

  Analytical Chemistry

• Publication date

  2020-01-15

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Materials Science, Chemistry, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b03626PMID 31939281
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Data preprocessing & evaluation used in the microplastics identification process: A critical review & practical guide

  2019cited by this paper
• Low numbers of microplastics detected in drinking water from ground water sources.

  2019cited by this paper
• Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation and disposal

  2019cited by this paper
• Rethinking microplastics as a diverse contaminant suite

  2019cited by this paper
• Comparison of Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for the Quantification of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment.

  2018cited by this paper
• Analytical methodologies for monitoring micro(nano)plastics: Which are fit for purpose?

  2018cited by this paper
• Microplastics research—from sink to source

  2018cited by this paper
• Tire Abrasion as a Major Source of Microplastics in the Environment

  2018cited by this paper
• Impacts of temperature and selected chemical digestion methods on microplastic particles

  2018cited by this paper
• Identification of microplastics using Raman spectroscopy: Latest developments and future prospects.

  2018cited by this paper
• Small-sized microplastics and pigmented particles in bottled mineral water.

  2018cited by this paper
• Reference database design for the automated analysis of microplastic samples based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

  2018cited by this paper
• Extraction of microplastic from biota: recommended acidic digestion destroys common plastic polymers

  2017cited by this paper
• A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red

  2017cited by this paper
• Analysis of environmental microplastics by vibrational microspectroscopy: FTIR, Raman or both?

  2016cited by this paper
• Long-term aging and degradation of microplastic particles: Comparing in situ oceanic and experimental weathering patterns.

  2016cited by this paper
• A novel method for preparing microplastic fibers

  2016cited by this paper
• Pelagic plastic pollution within the surface waters of Lake Michigan, USA

  2016cited by this paper
• A critical assessment of visual identification of marine microplastic using Raman spectroscopy for analysis improvement.

  2015cited by this paper
• A comparison of microscopic and spectroscopic identification methods for analysis of microplastics in environmental samples.

  2015cited by this paper
• Experimental development of a new protocol for extraction and characterization of microplastics in fish tissues: First observations in commercial species from Adriatic Sea.

  2015cited by this paper
• Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish off the Portuguese coast.

  2015cited by this paper
• Occurrence, degradation, and effect of polymer-based materials in the environment.

  2014cited by this paper
• Microplastics in bivalves cultured for human consumption.

  2014cited by this paper
• Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel.

  2013cited by this paper
• Microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes.

  2013cited by this paper
• Plastic in north sea fish.

  2013cited by this paper
• Microplastics in the marine environment.

  2011cited by this paper
• Plastic ingestion by mesopelagic fishes in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

  2011cited by this paper
• A comparison of plastic and plankton in the north Pacific central gyre.

  2001cited by this paper
• Non-destructive analysis of organic pigments and dyes using Raman microprobe, microfluorometer or absorption microspectrophotometer

  1989cited by this paper

• Treatment Reduces Microplastics in Landfill Leachate

  2026cites this paper
• Transformative Role of Deep Learning in Raman Spectroscopy-based Detection of Microplastics and Nanoplastics

  2026cites this paper
• Revealing microplastic and anthropogenic microparticles contamination in tidal blue carbon ecosystems from eastern Brazil.

  2026cites this paper
• Complementary analysis of pristine, UV-aged and extracted microplastics using single particle ICP-MS and OF2i-Raman spectroscopy.

  2026cites this paper
• Anthropogenic particles accumulation in sea cucumbers: insights from a transitional environment.

  2026cites this paper
• Raman-Based Profiling of Microplastics in Human Uterine Tissue: A New Dimension in Reproductive Toxicology

  2026cites this paper
• Microplastics in guano of three Peruvian guano seabird species at Punta Coles, Humboldt Current System.

  2026cites this paper
• Microplastics separation in reject water from wastewater sludge treatment line using micro and ultrafiltration membranes

  2026cites this paper
• The role of Spartina alterniflora in retaining anthropogenic microparticles in salt marshes of urbanized estuaries: insights from Bahía Blanca, Argentina

  2026cites this paper
• Frontiers in plastic biodegradation: unraveling the mechanisms and impacts of macro- and microplastic pollution

  2026cites this paper
• Assessment of microplastics pollution in Biscayne Bay: Spatial distribution, tidal variability, and polymer hazard analysis.

  2026cites this paper
• Floating microplastics in a hypersaline Mediterranean coastal lagoon: Abundance, chemical composition, and influence of environmental parameters

  2025cites this paper
• A "six-point S-shaped" sampling strategy based on micro-Raman spectroscopy enabling the rapid and accurate detection of small-sized microplastics in soil.

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic occurrence, distribution, and zonation at Paraná’s beaches—South of Brazil

  2025influential citation
• Spatial Comparison and Characterization of Microplastic Contamination in Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from Nova Scotia, Canada

  2025cites this paper
• Applications of Raman spectroscopy for microplastic detection and characterization: a comprehensive spectral reference

  2025influential citation
• Microplastics in the European native oyster, Ostrea edulis, to monitoring pollution-related patterns in the Solent region (United Kingdom)

  2025cites this paper
• Novel microplastic dosing approach of shellfish prey reveals highly efficient egestion rates by predatory crabs under environmentally realistic feeding scenarios.

  2025cites this paper
• Plastic pollution in brackish waters: Macroalgae as collectors of plastic debris.

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastics Identification in Remote Aquatic Environments Using Raman Spectroscopy: A Case Study for Mt. Tymfi's Alpine Lake

  2025cites this paper
• Regenerable Membrane Sensors for Ultrasensitive Nanoplastic Quantification Enabled by A Data-driven Raman Spectral Processing Algorithm

  2025cites this paper
• Elucidating microplastic's seasonal occurrence in urban indoor and outdoor aerosol.

  2025cites this paper
• Preliminary investigation of microplastic presence in the Zinzùlusa show-cave

  2025cites this paper
• Profiling microplastic fibers in the intertidal sentinel mussel Brachidontes rodriguezii from the coast of Buenos Aires, Argentina

  2025cites this paper
• Improving Microspectroscopic Microplastic Data Extrapolation: From Field of View to Full Sample, and from Fragment 2D-Morphology to Mass

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic pollution in surface waters of urban canals in a highly urbanized city (Dunkirk, Northern France): influence of dry and wet periods on discharge to the sea

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic removal across ten drinking water treatment facilities and distribution systems

  2025cites this paper
• Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical oxidation processes for polystyrene microplastic treatment: BDD anode vs Sb-doped SnO2 ceramic anode coated with a CdFe2O4 photocatalytic layer

  2025cites this paper
• Fluorescence-Guided Raman Spectroscopy with an Integrated Adapter for Faster and Cost-Effective Microplastic Detection

  2025cites this paper
• Anthropogenic particles and associated metals in Antarctic seabirds from Victoria Land (Antarctica).

  2025cites this paper
• Human exposure to PM10 microplastics in indoor air

  2025cites this paper
• Temporal dynamics and tidal influences on plastic deposition, remobilization, and accumulation in an estuarine mixing zone in Northern France

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic contamination in edible American lobster (Homarus americanus) muscle tissue

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic contamination in sediments: Analytical techniques and case-based evaluations.

  2025cites this paper
• Astacus leptodactylus is collecting microplastics in dam reservoir: a new record for Türkiye

  2025cites this paper
• Atmospheric deposition drives microplastic contamination in remote lakes of Newfoundland, Canada.

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic Ingestion from Contaminated Prey in the Bearded Fireworm Hermodice carunculata (Pallas, 1766): Evidence for Rapid Excretion and Low Degradation

  2025cites this paper
• Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis.

  2025cites this paper
• Fractionation of Anthropogenic Particles (Microplastics and Microfibers) along a 2200 km Transect of Canadian Sediments

  2025cites this paper
• Comparing field-based microplastic observations with ocean circulation model outputs in estuarine surface waters along a human population gradient.

  2025cites this paper
• Majority of potable water microplastics are smaller than the 20 μm EU methodology limit for consumable water quality

  2025cites this paper
• Assessment of Soil Microplastics and Their Relation to Soil and Terrain Attributes Under Different Land Uses

  2025cites this paper
• Fate of microplastics in sludge concentration: experimental evaluation of gravity thickening and flotation processes

  2025cites this paper
• Open Specy 1.0: Automated (Hyper)spectroscopy for Microplastics.

  2025cites this paper
• First evidence of airborne microplastics in the sub-Antarctic Beagle Channel: Detection and characterization by infrared and Raman microspectroscopies.

  2025cites this paper
• Micro(nano)plastics in Size-Segregated Atmospheric Particles in Eskişehir, Türkiye: Optimization of Sampling Parameters

  2025cites this paper
• Semi-quantitative computational analysis of plastic additives in a FLOPP-E and SLOPP-E database subset

  2025cites this paper
• Polyethylene microplastics trigger osteosarcoma progression via ITGA5/FAPα/LGMN cancer promoting complex: A novel environmental cancer promoting mechanism.

  2025cites this paper
• Where Is All the Plastic? How Microplastic Partitions across Environmental Compartments within a Large Pelagic In-Lake Mesocosm.

  2025cites this paper
• Assessment of microplastic digestion methods in source and treated drinking waters.

  2025cites this paper
• FTIR-Based Microplastic Classification: A Comprehensive Study on Normalization and ML Techniques

  2025cites this paper
• The Role of Microplastics in Elevated Risk and Tissues Metabolic Alterations in Uterine Fibroid of Female Patients.

  2025cites this paper
• Spatial Distribution and Geostatistical Prediction of Microplastic Abundance in a Micro-Watershed with Tropical Soils in Southeastern Brazil

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastics in an anaerobic digester treating sewage sludge: Occurrence and factors affecting their identification with Raman spectroscopy.

  2025cites this paper
• Microplastic Contamination in the Coastal Dune of the Southern Mexican Caribbean Sea and Using Raman Spectroscopy as Identification Tools

  2025cites this paper
• Utilization of Okra Seed Extract as a Natural Coagulant for Microplastic Mitigation in Mystacoleucus padangensis from Lake Singkarak, Tanah Datar Region, Indonesia

  2025cites this paper
• A Review of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics: Insights into Source and Fate for Modelling Studies

  2025cites this paper
• Breakdown of plastic waste into microplastics during an industrial Composting: A case study from a biowaste facility.

  2025cites this paper
• Reliability Testing of Machine Learning Model Prediction Capability towards Unidentifiable Microplastic Spectral Data: Triple Battery and Colorant Investigation

  2025cites this paper
• An improved methodology for microplastics analysis in sludge samples based on monitoring of organic matter oxidation

  2025cites this paper
• Paint: a ubiquitous yet disregarded piece of the microplastics puzzle

  2025cites this paper
• Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics Generated from Disposable Water Bottles Induce Interferon Signaling Pathways in Mouse Lung Epithelial Cells

  2024cites this paper
• Phthalate migration potential in vacuum-packed fish

  2024cites this paper
• Transformation of plastic debris to microplastics: An approximate analysis of mangrove environments

  2024cites this paper
• MicroRaman spectroscopy detects the presence of microplastics in human urine and kidney tissue.

  2024cites this paper
• Analytical Challenges and Strategies for Particle-Based Analysis of Airborne Micro(nano)plastics in Size-Fractionated Samples Using Microscopy, SEM/EDX, and Raman Spectroscopy.

  2024cites this paper
• Identification and quantification of micro–nano-plastics in polypropylene-bottled injections

  2024cites this paper
• Seasonal occurrence and distribution of microplastics in four different benthic suspension feeders from an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) facility: A bioremediation perspective.

  2024cites this paper
• Evaluating microplastic contamination in Omani mangrove habitats using large mud snails (Terebralia palustris).

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastic changes during the development of cervical cancer and its effects on the metabolomic profiles of cancer tissues.

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastic pollution in the North-east Atlantic Ocean surface water: How the sampling approach influences the extent of the issue.

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastics in the digestive tract of an endangered cetacean of the Southwest Atlantic Ocean: The franciscana dolphin.

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastics and Anthropogenic Particles in Recreationally Caught Freshwater Fish from an Urbanized Region of the North American Great Lakes

  2024cites this paper
• Coral reef attributes associated with microplastic exposure

  2024cites this paper
• Plastic pollution in a special protected area for migratory birds.

  2024cites this paper
• First Identification of Microplastics in Human Uterine Fibroids and Myometrium.

  2024cites this paper
• High prevalence of microplastics in the digestive tract of Scyliorhinus canicula (Linneaus, 1758) shows the species biomonitoring potential.

  2024cites this paper
• Selective Labeling of Small Microplastics with SERS-Tags Based on Gold Nanostars: Method Optimization Using Polystyrene Beads and Application in Environmental Samples

  2024cites this paper
• Toward in Situ Identification of Microplastics in Water Using Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning

  2024cites this paper
• Efficacy of chemical digestion methods to reveal undamaged microplastics from planktonic samples.

  2024cites this paper
• Spatial and temporal variation of microplastic in mussels from intertidal and subtidal banks in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

  2024cites this paper
• Every breath you take: high concentration of breathable microplastics in indoor environments.

  2024cites this paper
• The effects of microplastics on ionoregulatory processes in the gills of freshwater fish and invertebrates: A prospective review.

  2024cites this paper
• Nondestructive analysis of plastic debris from micro to nano sizes: A state-of-the-art review on Raman spectroscopy-based techniques

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastic contamination of intertidal sediment and cockles (Cerastoderma edule).

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastics determination and quantification in two benthic filter feeders Sabella spallanzanii, Polychaeta and Paraleucilla magna, Porifera

  2024cites this paper
• The distribution of sediment microplastics assemblages is driven by location and hydrodynamics, not sediment characteristics, in the Gulf of Maine, USA.

  2024cites this paper
• Toy building bricks as a potential source of microplastics and nanoplastics.

  2024cites this paper
• Removal and fate of microplastics in permeable pavements: An experimental layer-by-layer analysis.

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastic and other anthropogenic microparticles in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and their coastal habitat: A first-look at a central Canadian Arctic commercial fishery.

  2024cites this paper
• Informing the Exposure Landscape: The Fate of Microplastics in a Large Pelagic In-Lake Mesocosm Experiment

  2024cites this paper
• The use of vibrational spectroscopy and supervised machine learning for chemical identification of plastics ingested by seabirds.

  2024cites this paper
• Particulate Contamination of Human Placenta: Plastic and non-plastic

  2024cites this paper
• Multi-sensor characterization for an improved identification of polymers in WEEE recycling.

  2024cites this paper
• Preparation of synthetic micro- and nano plastics for method validation studies.

  2024cites this paper
• Pavement wear generates microplastics in stormwater runoff.

  2024cites this paper
• Microplastics are detected in bull epididymal sperm and polystyrene microparticles impair sperm fertilization

  2024cites this paper
• Practical guidelines and challenges in the isolation and characterization of microplastics/microfibers by Raman microscopy.

  2024cites this paper
• Airborne microplastic pollution detected in the atmosphere of the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica.

  2024cites this paper
• A Multicompartment Assessment of Microplastic Contamination in Semi‐remote Boreal Lakes

  2024cites this paper