Microplastic Detection Market Report 2026

The microplastic detection market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $4.69 billion in 2025 to $5.19 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growing environmental pollution awareness, expansion of marine and freshwater research programs, increased academic research funding, adoption of analytical laboratory technologies, development of early detection methodologies.

The microplastic detection market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $7.65 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing regulatory mandates on microplastic monitoring, rising investments in water quality assessment, expansion of food safety testing requirements, growing use of ai-driven analytical platforms, increasing focus on human health impact studies. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing deployment of advanced spectroscopic techniques, rising demand for standardized microplastic monitoring, growing integration of automated sample analysis, expansion of regulatory testing requirements, enhanced focus on polymer-specific detection.

Growing awareness of environmental pollution is expected to drive the expansion of the microplastic detection market in the coming years. Environmental pollution involves the introduction of harmful substances or energy into air, water, or soil, negatively affecting ecosystems, human health, and the environment’s natural balance. This heightened awareness stems from increasing concerns for human health, as more people recognize the direct impact of contamination in air, water, and soil on respiratory issues, chronic diseases, and overall well-being. Microplastic detection plays a vital role in addressing environmental pollution by identifying and quantifying plastic particles in ecosystems, aiding contamination monitoring, source tracing, and pollution control efforts. For example, in April 2025, the US-based American Lung Association reported that 125.2 million people - 37% of the population - were exposed to dangerously high ozone levels in 2023, marking an increase of 24.6 million from 2022. Thus, growing awareness of environmental pollution is fueling the growth of the microplastic detection market.

Leading companies in the microplastic detection sector are prioritizing the development of innovative solutions, including AI-powered analytical technologies, to enhance the speed, accuracy, and reliability of identifying microplastics. AI-powered analytical technologies are sophisticated systems that leverage artificial intelligence to automatically process complex data, detect patterns, and provide highly precise insights with minimal human input. For example, in August 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), an India-based food regulatory authority, initiated a dedicated project to evaluate and address microplastic contamination in commonly consumed food items. The initiative aims to establish validated testing methods and produce reliable data on the occurrence of micro- and nano-plastics across various food categories. The outcomes of this project are anticipated to inform future regulatory actions and reinforce India’s overall food safety framework.

In February 2023, Waters Corporation, a US company specializing in analytical instruments and separation technologies, acquired Wyatt Technology for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition aims to strengthen Waters’ bioanalytical characterization capabilities by integrating Wyatt’s advanced light scattering and fractionation instruments, accelerating growth in emerging areas such as large molecule analysis and cell and gene therapies. Wyatt Technology Corporation, also US-based, designs and manufactures light scattering instruments utilized in microplastic detection.

Major companies operating in the microplastic detection market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Carl Zeiss AG, Eurofins Scientific SE, Agilent Technologies Inc., PerkinElmer Inc., Intertek Group plc, Shimadzu Corporation, Bruker Corporation, Horiba Ltd., JEOL Ltd., Renishaw plc, Malvern Panalytical Ltd., Oxford Instruments plc, EMSL Analytical Inc., JASCO Corporation, Specac Ltd., Measurlabs Oy, Hooke Instruments Ltd., Ocean Diagnostics Inc., Wasser 3 gemeinnützige GmbH.

North America was the largest region in the microplastic detection market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the microplastic detection market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the microplastic detection market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The microplastic detection market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as custom microplastic analysis, sample preparation and extraction services, contract testing services, data interpretation and reporting services, and on-site testing services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The microplastic detection market also includes sales of spectrometers, chromatography systems, filtration and sieving equipment, automated particle counters and analyzers, and thermal analysis instruments. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.