There is a rapidly growing interest in applying micro Raman spectroscopy to environmentally collected microplastics. The diversity of samples and collection points has made it difficult to have a consensus for a standard sample preparation or anal. method. We propose and discuss a method for microplastic sample preparation, and the advances in Raman microscope instrumentation and anal. software that aids in the detection and identification of microplastics collected from bottled water samples. Raman spectroscopy (RS) is a non-invasive and non-destructive tool that can identify many polymer sample types. Raman spectroscopy becomes an important identification method as other characterization techniques struggle with microplastic particles smaller than 20 um. New research is suggesting that the majority of microplastics in drinking water are less than 5 um in size. A confocal Raman microscope system has an advantage in the identification of smaller particles and is applicable to sizes less than 1 um. The confocal Raman microscope is an ideal, fast, non-destructive characterization method of these small microplastic particles. Three methods are evaluated for identifying and isolating microplastics with good contrast on the filter substrates: white light imaging, Rayleigh mapping, and fast Raman imaging mapping using StreamLine. Renishaw's Particle Anal. Software is used in each contrast method to characterize the particle sizes, morphol., distribution, and to define the particle coordinate positions necessary for more detailed measurements. High resolution spectra of the microplastics are measured and compared to library spectra for the identification of the plastic type. LiveTrack allows anal. with automatic focusing on microplastic particles of differing heights with no loss in signal intensity. A suggested workflow for sample preparation, data collection, and sample anal. of microplastic samples is discussed.