Anthropogenic particles at the microscale and nanoscale are posing risks to human health and the ecosystem. Engineered nanomaterials, microplastics and nanoplastics, soot, road and tire wear are a few prominent examples of particles that are either intentionally manufactured or incidentally produced and released into the environment. Analytical developments in the past few decades have made it possible to study particles in the microscale and nanoscale; however, there is still no universal protocol of analysis and caveats exist in the use of the most prominent techniques. The task is challenging because of the large variety of particle properties and the complexity of environmental media. This review discusses a selected group of techniques most likely to play a key role in future monitoring activities and their recent developments and inherent shortcomings.
