Improving nanoplastics detection

STREAMLINED—short for Separation‑Technology Research to Effectively Address the Missing Links In Nanoplastics Examination and Detection—is led by analytical chemists from HIMS (Bob Pirok, Alina Astefanei, and Ron Peters) and researchers from VU Amsterdam (Marja Lamoree and Frederic Béen). The team is developing an advanced, high-throughput analysis method that simultaneously determines size distribution, polymer identity, and mass of nanoplastics. This innovation addresses a major gap in the plastics innovation cycle: the reliable detection and characterization of tiny plastic particles in the environment and food chains. Detecting nanoplastics (<1 µm) is critical, as plastic waste eventually breaks down into these particles, now found in drinking water, food, and aquatic systems.

TREAMLINED will enable precise quantification and classification of nanoplastics across ecosystems. The technology is also expected to reveal degradation pathways from macroplastics to nanoplastics and assess their environmental persistence. Companies such as BASF, Covestro, Dow, and IFF can use these insights to design safer, more sustainable materials. Regulators like RIVM gain powerful tools for shaping nanoplastics policy. Industry partners like GL Sciences and Postnova, along with research organizations such as TNO and Waterlaboratorium, will help bring the technology to labs and industrial settings more quickly.

To read the full news release from UvA, visit: STREAMLINED news article