Our new paper, SERS of Bottled Water: Automated PET Nanoplastic Detection and Quantification, published in Analytical Chemistry, presents a SERS-based approach for the detection and quantification of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanoplastics in commercial bottled water. By combining surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy, Raman mapping, and automated spectral classification, the study enables the identification of PET nanoplastics with minimal sample preparation and provides particle-number estimates directly from water samples. The approach also demonstrates the capability to simultaneously detect other particulate components, highlighting the potential of automated SERS analysis as a practical tool for nanoplastic monitoring and broader water-quality assessment.

Read the full article: DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.6c04234

This research is carried out and financed within the framework of the second Swiss Contribution MAPS, No. 1Z11Z0_230154 and Nr. 7ROCH /07.2025