Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy chair publishes article on epidemic and detection of microplastics

Dr. Sayo Fakayode, chair of Georgia College & State University’s Department of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, has a new peer-reviewed publication with the U.S. Foods and Drug Administration.

Fakayode was one of 14 scholarly authors from several universities across the United States who collaborated on “Microplastics: Challenges, toxicity, spectroscopic and real-time detection methods.” The paper discusses the “global microplastic (MP) pollution epidemic” caused by increasing amounts of single-use plastics and the ineffective ways we dispose of garbage and recycle solid waste.

Microplastics have negatively impacted the ecosystem and public health, the group determined. But plastics remain in high demand for a variety of uses worldwide due to “their low cost, versatility, lightweight, low density, flexibility, high strength, and durability.”

The article provides an in-depth survey of current literature about the toxicity and challenges of microplastics and looks into methods for detecting them, such as spectroscopic and real-time satellite imagery, unmanned aerial vehicles and aquatic drone technology.

In recent years, molecular spectroscopy methods like Near Infrared (NIR), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy for analysis of microplastics gained interest because of their fast results, low cost, accuracy and portability.

The collaborative paper discusses all these approaches, along with machine learning, micro-hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics, as well as challenges and possible answers for dealing with microplastics in the future.

The full article is available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/05704928.2024.2311130.