Researchers in Israel have unveiled a highly sensitive device designed to detect nano-sized plastic particles circulating in the air. The development was reported by the press service of the American Chemical Society (ACS), highlighting its potential to transform how air quality and plastic pollution are monitored in real time.
The central goal of this project was to determine whether a compact sensor could continuously track the concentration of hazardous plastics in the atmosphere. To tackle this challenge, the team turned to carbon dots and carbon nanoparticles, which are created when carbon-rich materials such as sugar or similar organic substances are gently heated for several hours. These tiny carbon-based particles serve as the functional core of the sensor, enabling interactions with airborne plastics that influence measurable electrical signals.
Scientists built what they describe as an electronic nose by depositing thin films of diverse carbon dots onto a set of miniature electrodes. The electrodes are arranged in interlocking comb patterns, forming a network that carries electrical charge between the opposing sides. When carbon dots encounter gas molecules or fragments of nanoplastic, they alter the overall capacitance of the system. That change becomes the key signal the device can read to indicate the presence and amount of nanoplastics in the air, according to the researchers.
In validation tests, the researchers exposed the sensor to three common plastics: polystyrene, polypropylene, and polymethyl methacrylate. The readings demonstrated that the electronic nose could detect very small concentrations of nanoplastic particles and provide a rough estimate of particle size. This information is crucial for assessing potential health risks and environmental exposure, as smaller particles tend to be more easily inhaled and transported through air.
Beyond detecting the mere presence of nanoplastics, the team explored the sensor’s capacity to gauge concentration levels and infer size distributions from the electrical response. The results show promise for real-time monitoring in settings such as urban environments, industrial facilities, and indoor spaces where plastic-laden aerosols may accumulate. In the coming stages, researchers plan to refine the device to differentiate between plastic types more precisely and to quantify environmental concentrations with higher accuracy, moving closer to practical deployment for public health and regulatory purposes.
As the science advances, this technology could complement existing air quality tools by offering rapid, on-site detection of nanoplastics without relying on bulky laboratory equipment. If scaled and validated across diverse conditions, it could empower policymakers, researchers, and communities to better understand exposure risks and to track how plastic particles disperse in air over time.