Nanoplastics Detection & Water Safety

Nanoplastics — plastic fragments smaller than 1 micron — are now found in human blood, lungs, and placentas, yet most water treatment systems cannot detect or remove them. My lab at Vanderbilt has developed the first optical nanotweezers capable of trapping, detecting, and characterizing individual nanoplastic particles in real time. This technology enables water utilities, regulators, and manufacturers to measure contamination that was previously invisible. Our work is the scientific foundation behind Unmasking Nanoplastics and is actively being translated into deployable sensing systems for drinking water and environmental monitoring.