A technology has been developed that can detect microplastics on-site using light and artificial intelligence (AI), raising expectations that it will contribute to food and beverage safety.

The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS, President Lee Jeong-hwan), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, announced on the 14th that the research team led by Dr. Jeong Ho-sang of the Nano-Bio Convergence Laboratory developed the world's first technology to rapidly and sensitively detect microplastics on-site through convergence research with the KOTITI Testing & Research Institute.

The on-site microplastic detection technology developed by the research team is kit-type.

It is filtered through a simple syringe filter, and can identify the type, number, and distribution of microplastics within 20 minutes without any preprocessing.

The research team took inspiration from the fact that microplastics can be filtered through filters. They synthesized a nanopocket-shaped plasmonic material capable of capturing microplastics on the surface of a paper filter with microscopic pores, and developed a method to amplify the optical signals of the captured microplastics.

When a sample containing microplastics is passed through a syringe, the Raman spectroscopy signal of the microplastics is amplified on the nano-pocket-shaped plasmonic material, enabling high-sensitivity detection. The technology can also be applied to detecting microplastics on a nanometer scale.

Additionally, the research team pre-trained artificial intelligence (AI) on the unique Raman spectral signals of microplastics, enabling the AI to determine whether the acquired signals correspond to microplastics even if there are interfering factors in the environmental sample.

Through this, we developed a system that can accurately identify not only microplastics but also their concentration, distribution, and type, even in complex environments or human samples.

Existing microplastic detection technologies have been difficult to apply in the field. This is because they require complex preprocessing, high-performance equipment, and analysis by skilled researchers. This technology eliminates the preprocessing process through a filter, enhancing equipment performance while also enhancing material sensitivity.

Another key differentiator is the replacement of skilled researchers' analytical skills with artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the use of a portable Raman spectrometer as a detection device further enhances the possibility of on-site detection.

Currently, environmental pollution and human health risks associated with microplastics continue to surface both domestically and internationally. Media reports indicate that microplastics are readily released from everyday products like beverage containers and snack bags. However, there is currently no method for detecting microplastics in the micro- to nano-scale range, necessitating the development of technology to establish international standard detection methods.

This could lead to future regulations on plastic products and food and beverage containers, and is significant in that it preemptively developed technology to overcome future export and import regulations due to environmental issues through the development of domestic source technology. Another advantage is that the sensor is made in kit form, so that ordinary people can easily inspect it as needed.

“Once this technology is commercialized, it will be possible to detect microplastics more easily, quickly, and universally,” said Jeong Ho-sang, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, who is in charge of the research. “Building on this foundation, the Korea Institute of Materials Science and Engineering will continue to spare no effort in developing material technologies for the safety of the public and future generations.”

This research was conducted through a basic project of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT. The results were published on September 10th in Advanced Functional Materials (IF: 19, JCR < 5%), a world-renowned materials journal. The technology will be used in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Materials Science and Technology (KOTITI) Testing and Research Institute to standardize microplastic detection technology.

Meanwhile, the research team is currently conducting follow-up research to detect microplastics by size and evaluate their toxicity to humans.