Peptide-based strategies for detecting microplastics in aquatic systems: A review

Microplastics, defined as plastic particles less than 5 mm in diameter, have become pervasive pollutants in marine and terrestrial environments and pose significant environmental and health risks, necessitating effective detection methods. The selective detection of these tiny particles is challenging due to the complexity of the matrices of marine water. This mini-review explores the significant advancements and applications of microplastic-binding peptides, underlining their potential as a novel approach for microplastic detection and highlighting their specificity, sensitivity, and versatility. Progress in this field has been driven by advances in protein engineering, computational techniques, and analytical methodologies, enabling the design of plastic-specific peptides with fine-tuned binding properties. We discuss the current state of research, challenges, and future directions in this emerging field.