Microplastic pollution is an increasing issue globally and one recognised by the United Nations with the planned finalising of a Microplastics Treaty later this year. The EU in 2023 also introduced a resolution known as “the microplastics restriction” to limit the use of microplastics. In addition to the environmental impact, the human health impact of microplastics is  significant:  ‘Potential Health Impact of Microplastics: A Review of Environmental Distribution, Human Exposure, and Toxic Effects’ Yue Li, Le Tao, et al

Current methods for microplastic detection are slow and arduous, requiring highly trained technicians with specialist equipment. We have developed a simple fluorescent-based system to rapidly identify microplastics contained in environmental samples. 

A wide range of microplastics have been tested and shown to specifically bind to the CPNs making them fluorescent. The wavelengths of light used are specific to this type of CPN and there is no interfering fluorescence from the microplastics

Our Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles (CPNs™) have been engineered to specifical bind to microplastics making them highly fluorescent and easy to identify. This technology can be readily integrated into existing field based environmental detection systems allowing rapid and low cost analysis of microplastics present in samples.

This environmental sample contained a complex mix of materials demonstrating the specificity of the CPNs for the microplastics in the sample.

Our CPN™ based detection system offers a significant advantage over current microplastics pollution detection systems that require samples to be sent away to laboratories to be analysed by highly trained technician using microscopic techniques.

Synthetic clothing fibres from laundry are a major contributor to microplastics pollution. Our CPNs™ can readily distinguish between natural clothing fibres and man-made polluting microplastic fibres.