US Patent Issued to Photothermal Spectroscopy on Sept. 16 for "Automated spectroscopic analysis of micron-scale microplastic particles with optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy" (California Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,416,566, issued on Sept. 16, was assigned to Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp. (Santa Barbara, Calif.).

"Automated spectroscopic analysis of micron-scale microplastic particles with optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy" was invented by Craig Prater (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Kevin Kjoller (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Eoghan Dillon (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Andrew Stuart (Santa Barbara, Calif.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Detection of microplastics is accomplished using a combination of techniques. A position-detection technique such as crossed-polarization detection, autofluorescence detection, or photothermal infrared imaging is used...