Environmental Analysis

Can spectroscopy help cities manage water quality during monsoons?

A European study of nearly 9,000 cropland soil samples found that combining visible–near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy with climate and topographic data only improves soil carbon and nitrogen prediction accuracy at spectral resolutions of 10 nanometers or finer.

This paper demonstrates the use of optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy for the detection, identification, and localization of microplastics in tissue samples.

Researchers detect up to 587 particles per kilogram in locally marketed table salt, raising questions about daily consumer exposure through a dietary staple.

Webinar Date/Time: Thu, Jul 9, 2026 1:00 PM ED

This review highlights major advances in infrared (IR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy from 2022–2026, including instrument miniaturization, hyperspectral imaging, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. These developments are expanding the use of vibrational spectroscopy beyond the laboratory into portable and field-deployable analytical systems. Environmental applications such as microplastic detection, biosolids analysis, soil characterization, and contaminant monitoring are emerging as key growth areas.

Concentrations comparable to polluted European rivers detected in sediments of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

A team at Hebei University has developed a fluorescent probe that visualizes heavy metal stress in plant cells by detecting changes in intracellular viscosity, offering researchers a new real-time tool for assessing crop stress resistance.

How is spectroscopy being used to detect methane and contribute to sustainability missions?

Webinar Date/Time: Tue, Jun 9, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Webinar Date/Time: Thu, Jun 18, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

Webinar Date/Time: Tue, May 26, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Webinar Date/Time: Thu, Apr 16, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

A 2026 study published in the journal Remote Sensing tested Germany’s EnMAP hyperspectral satellite to see if it could identify and map acid mine drainage (AMD) and associated mineral residues from a legacy sulfide mine in Sardinia, Italy.

In this tutorial article, we review the latest in microplastic analysis, highlighting the techniques that have been frequently used in this space and where they have been most effective.

A study in the Journal of Environmental Management shows that wastewater treatment plants in coastal Catalonia remove most microplastics but still release tens of billions of particles annually, with emissions peaking during warmer, tourism-heavy months due to environmental and population-driven pressures.

In this interview clip, David Clasas of the University of Graz discusses the trapping mechanism of the OF2i and how it improves downstream Raman and ICP-TOFMS measurements and also highlights the multimodal approach his team used to improve microplastic analysis.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a dual AI framework that uses synthetic vegetation index data and an advanced Transformer-based segmentation model to significantly improve early detection of winter damage on golf course turf.

Researchers at Jiangnan University have developed a rapid, one-pot magnetic enrichment and electrochemical sensing platform that enables highly sensitive, streamlined detection of polystyrene microplastics.

A recent study demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging offers a highly accurate, dramatically faster alternative to traditional FT-IR methods for identifying microplastics in the Po River.

Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities demonstrate that combining Raman and infrared spectroscopy with convolutional neural networks enables highly accurate, low-cost, and field-ready automated plastic identification.

This feature reflects on the interviews Spectroscopy magazine conducted in 2025.

A study published in the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy reports the detection of polyethylene, PET, and nylon microplastics in Greece’s remote Dragon Lake on Mt. Tymfi.

A recent study from researchers in Indonesia and Taiwan demonstrates that tourism intensity on Gili Trawangan Island is strongly linked to higher microplastic contamination in coastal waters, sediments, and fish, highlighting the need for targeted waste management and sustainable tourism policies to protect vulnerable island ecosystems.

A recent study demonstrates that full-range spectroscopy offers a highly accurate, scalable, and efficient solution for identifying Amazonian tree species across diverse ecosystems.