Analysis of microplastics in water is no longer simply a matter of counting particles under a microscope. Reliable testing needs to determine particle size, morphology, location, and polymer type, while reducing contamination, operator error, and repetitive manual work.
For laboratories, environmental monitoring agencies, research institutions, and water-quality testing companies, the key question is not only how to detect microplastics in water, but also how to make the testing process accurate, repeatable, efficient, and scalable.
AIMOLI’s AML518 Automatic Microplastic Analyzer for Water Bodies is designed for this purpose. It combines microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, robotic automation, intelligent image analysis, and automated reporting into one system.
What Is Microplastic Analysis in Water?
Microplastic analysis in water is the process of detecting, measuring, identifying, and characterizing plastic particles present in water samples.
A useful analysis should answer at least four questions:
- How many microplastic particles are present?
- What size are the particles?
- What do the particles look like?
- What type of polymer are they made from?
Depending on the testing objective, laboratories may also need particle coordinates, morphology, size distribution, and polymer classification.
This is why simple visual observation is often insufficient. A particle that looks like plastic under a microscope still needs chemical or spectroscopic confirmation before it can be reliably classified.
Determination of Microplastics in Water: What Should the Test Include?
A practical determination of microplastics in water generally involves several stages:
Sample preparation → filtration → microscopic observation → particle characterization → spectroscopic identification → data analysis → reporting
Traditional workflows require laboratory technicians to manually perform many of these operations.
The problem is obvious: when the number of samples increases, manual testing becomes slow and difficult to standardize.
A laboratory may spend substantial time on:
- Preparing samples
- Preparing microscope slides
- Loading samples
- Finding particles
- Adjusting microscope focus
- Collecting spectra
- Matching spectral data
- Rechecking suspicious particles
- Recording results
- Preparing final reports
The more samples that need to be analyzed, the more significant these limitations become.
Three Main Technologies for Microplastic Analysis
There are three commonly considered technical approaches for identifying microplastics.
1. Infrared Spectroscopy
Infrared spectroscopy can identify polymers based on their characteristic spectral information.
However, conventional infrared approaches have limitations when analyzing very small particles. Particles below approximately 10 µm can be difficult to identify, and sample preparation requirements may also limit wet-sample analysis.
For laboratories that need flexible microplastic analysis in water, these limitations need to be considered before selecting the technology.
2. Pyrolysis-GC-MS
Pyrolysis-GC-MS can provide highly sensitive polymer analysis and can be used for very small plastic particles, including nanoplastic-related research.
However, the equipment and analytical workflow are relatively expensive and technically demanding.
For routine large-scale environmental monitoring, the overall cost and complexity can make this approach less practical.
3. Raman Spectroscopy
Raman spectroscopy identifies materials through their characteristic molecular spectra.
For microplastic analysis in water, Raman spectroscopy offers several important advantages:
- Identifies different polymer types
- Suitable for small particles
- Can support wet-sample analysis
- Provides chemical identification rather than relying only on visual appearance
- Does not require the same level of complex preparation associated with some alternative methods
For these reasons, AIMOLI selected Raman spectroscopy as the core identification technology for the AML518.
Why AIMOLI Uses Raman Spectroscopy
The AML518 is designed to identify microplastics in the 300 µm–5000 µm range, equivalent to 0.3–5 mm.
The system uses a dual-laser configuration with 785 nm and 1064 nm lasers.
The dual-laser design helps reduce fluorescence interference, which can otherwise affect Raman measurements and make spectral identification more difficult.
The result is a practical balance between:
particle identification + analytical reliability + operating efficiency + equipment cost.
AIMOLI AML518: The Automated Solution
The AIMOLI AML518 Automatic Microplastic Analyzer for Water Bodies is designed to automate the repetitive stages of microplastic detection and identification.
According to AIMOLI, comparable microplastic detection systems currently rely heavily on manual operation, while the AML518 integrates a robotic arm and intelligent integrated operating system to automate the testing workflow.
The system can automatically perform:
- Sample handling
- Slide loading and unloading
- Microscope focusing
- Particle scanning
- Image acquisition
- Raman spectral acquisition
- Spectral matching
- Verification
- Data analysis
- Report generation
This is the key difference between a conventional microplastic testing workflow and an automated analyzer.
20× Higher Efficiency Through Automation
Manual microplastic analysis requires technicians to repeatedly perform the same operations.
The AML518 uses a robotic arm to automate slide handling and an integrated software system to coordinate the analysis process.
The sample rack can accommodate 10–20 microscope slides, while the system supports continuous operation for up to 24 hours.
AIMOLI reports that this can provide up to 20× higher efficiency compared with manual workflows.
For laboratories processing a small number of samples, automation may simply be convenient.
For laboratories processing dozens or hundreds of samples, automation can fundamentally change testing capacity.
How the AML518 Performs Microplastic Analysis in Water
Step 1: Sample Pretreatment
The water sample undergoes preparation processes such as:
- Oxidation
- Digestion
- Sedimentation
- Vacuum filtration
- Transfer to microscope slides
The purpose is to concentrate particles and prepare them for microscopic and spectroscopic analysis.
Step 2: Automatic Slide Handling
After preparation, the robotic system automatically loads the slides.
The operator does not need to repeatedly place and remove each slide manually.
This reduces repetitive labor and helps standardize sample handling.
Step 3: Automated Microscopic Scanning
The microscope automatically focuses on the sample and scans it using a 12-grid layout.
Potential microplastic particles are recorded and characterized.
The system can generate particle profiles containing information such as:
- Particle coordinates
- Particle morphology
- Particle size
- Microscopic images
This creates a digital record of where each detected particle is located.
Step 4: Raman Spectral Identification
After microscopic detection, the system performs Raman spectral acquisition.
The collected spectra are compared with the built-in database to identify and classify polymer types.
This is important because visual appearance alone cannot reliably determine whether a particle is plastic or what polymer it contains.
Step 5: Automatic Verification
If the system identifies a suspicious or uncertain result, the AML518 can automatically perform recalibration and retesting.
This verification step helps reduce the risk of relying on a single questionable measurement.
Step 6: One-Click Report Generation
The final results can be automatically compiled into a testing report containing:
- Particle images
- Particle data
- Identification results
- Classification information
Instead of manually compiling results from different stages of the laboratory workflow, the system integrates the information into a single digital report.
Manual vs. Automated Microplastic Analysis
| Testing Process | Traditional Manual Workflow | AIMOLI AML518 |
|---|---|---|
| Slide handling | Manual | Robotic |
| Microscope focusing | Manual | Automatic |
| Particle scanning | Manual | Automatic |
| Particle profiling | Manual/assisted | Automated |
| Raman identification | Operator controlled | Automated |
| Spectral matching | Manual/assisted | Automatic |
| Verification | Manual | Automatic retesting |
| Report generation | Manual | One-click |
| Continuous operation | Limited by staff | Up to 24 hours |
| Sample capacity | Dependent on operators | 10–20 slides per rack |
The biggest advantage is not a single hardware component.
It is the integration of the entire workflow.
Why Automation Matters for Microplastic Testing
The biggest bottleneck in analysis of microplastics in water is often not the detection technology itself. It is the number of repetitive operations required between sample preparation and the final result.
Manual workflows require trained technicians to repeatedly:
find → focus → observe → measure → collect spectrum → identify → verify → record.
When sample numbers increase, the workload increases almost linearly.
Automation changes this model.
The AML518 can handle repetitive instrument operations continuously, allowing laboratory personnel to focus more on sample preparation, quality control, data interpretation, and project management.
Who Should Use an Automated Microplastic Analyzer?
The AML518 is particularly relevant to organizations performing repeated water-sample testing, including:
- Environmental testing laboratories
- Water quality monitoring institutions
- Groundwater research organizations
- Universities and research laboratories
- Environmental consulting companies
- Government monitoring agencies
- Scientific research institutes
- Commercial analytical laboratories
It is especially valuable when a laboratory needs to increase sample throughput without simply adding more technicians.
What to Consider When Buying a Microplastic Analyzer
If you are evaluating equipment for determination of microplastics in water, compare the complete workflow rather than looking only at the microscope or Raman spectrometer.
Ask suppliers:
Can the system identify polymer types?
Particle counting alone does not provide sufficient information for polymer classification.
What particle size range can it analyze?
The useful detection range should match the actual requirements of your project.
Is Raman spectroscopy integrated?
If polymer identification is required, spectroscopic analysis is an important part of the system.
How much of the workflow is automated?
A system described as “automated” may still require substantial manual operation.
Check whether sample loading, focusing, scanning, spectral acquisition, verification, and reporting are actually automated.
Can the system operate continuously?
For high-volume laboratories, 24-hour operation can significantly increase throughput.
Does it generate complete reports?
Automated reporting can save considerable time after the actual measurement has been completed.
Microplastic Analysis In Water Why Choose AIMOLI AML518?
For laboratories looking for an automated solution for microplastic analysis in water, the AML518 has several key differentiators:
Fully automated workflow
Robotic handling and intelligent software reduce repetitive manual operations.
Microscopy + Raman spectroscopy
Microscopy provides particle information, while Raman spectroscopy provides polymer identification.
Three-stage analytical logic
The system combines particle imaging, spectral identification, and automatic verification.
300–5000 µm analysis range
Designed for microplastic particles from 0.3 mm to 5 mm.
Dual-laser Raman system
785 nm and 1064 nm lasers help reduce fluorescence interference.
10–20 slide capacity
Multiple samples can be loaded for continuous operation.
Up to 24-hour operation
The system can continue testing without requiring an operator to remain beside the instrument.
Automatic reporting
Images, particle data, and classification results can be integrated into the final report.
Effective analysis of microplastics in water requires more than finding particles under a microscope.
A reliable workflow needs to determine where the particles are, how large they are, what they look like, and what polymers they contain.
Traditional testing can achieve these objectives, but much of the workflow remains manual.
The AIMOLI AML518 Automatic Microplastic Analyzer for Water Bodies takes a different approach by integrating microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, robotic handling, automated scanning, spectral identification, verification, and report generation.
For laboratories that need to increase testing capacity while reducing repetitive manual work, the AML518 provides a practical path toward automated microplastic analysis in water.
If you are evaluating equipment for determination of microplastics in water, contact AIMOLI to discuss your sample type, required particle size range, testing volume, and laboratory workflow before selecting an analyzer.
