Abstract:

Plastics have been used for more than a century. While plastics have brought unpredictable benefits and convenience to human being, they have also quietly brought about an emerging environmental pollutant-microplastics, which has seriously affected the water ecology and environment, and posed a potential health threat to organisms and even humans. Under this circumstance, effective monitoring of microplastics in water bodies and living organisms is of great importance. Unfortunately, there is currently no robust and effective detection method for microplastics. This paper uses a short story to popularize the science of the origins and hazards of microplastics, and the shortcomings of some current microplastic detection technologies.

Key words: Microplastics, Analytical chemistry, Spectroscopy, Thermal analysis