The detection of microplastics, now recognized as ubiquitous environmental contaminants, presents significant scientific challenges, a reality highlighted in a recent expert interview published on chemeurope.com. While microplastics are found across virtually every ecosystem globally, from oceans to human tissues, accurately identifying and quantifying these tiny particles is far from straightforward. Prof. Stephan Wagner notes that detection is comparatively manageable in drinking water with reference materials, but becomes substantially more complex in challenging matrices like wastewater, soil, and air, where concentrations are lower or particles are extremely small. Standard analytical techniques, including optical microscopy combined with Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) or Raman spectroscopy, and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), are commonly employed. However, these methods have inherent limitations. FTIR is restricted by its optical diffraction limit, making it unsuitable for particles smaller than 10-20 µm, while Raman spectroscopy, though capable of detecting particles down to ~1 µm, can suffer from fluorescence interference from organic matter. Py-GC/MS, often considered a 'gold standard,' faces interference issues depending on the sample matrix and struggles with very small particles due to their minuscule mass. Moreover, there is growing scrutiny regarding the accuracy of some high-profile studies reporting microplastics in human organs. Concerns include potential contamination during sample processing, false positives from bodily substances (e.g., fat mimicking polyethylene), and a lack of standardized control samples, or 'blanks.' This scientific discourse underscores the critical need for refined methodologies, interlaboratory comparisons, and universally standardized protocols to ensure the reliability and comparability of microplastic research findings, moving closer to scientific reality away from potentially exaggerated claims.