Microplastics are a hot issue in current water environment research. Its small particle size is widely distributed in the water environment within a certain period. In-depth study of the hazards of microplastics and their analysis and treatment methods are the key to effectively control microplastic pollution. In view of the hot issue of microplastic pollution in water environment, this study introduces the pollution status of microplastics in water environment, summarizes some methods of analysis and identification of microplastics in the laboratory, and analyzes the advantages and limitations of different methods. The results of this study can provide some summary reference for the research of microplastics. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.