Abstract
Analysis of microplastics (MP) in environmental samples is an emerging field, which is performed with various methods and instruments based either on spectroscopy or thermoanalytical methods. In general, both approaches result in two different types of data sets that are either mass or particle number related. Depending on detection limits of the respective method and instrumentation the derived polymer composition trends may vary. In this study, we compare the results of hyperspectral Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) imaging analysis and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analysis performed on a set of environmental samples that differ in complexity and degree of microplastic contamination. The measurements were conducted consecutively, and on exactly the same sample. First, the samples were investigated with FTIR using aluminum oxide filters; subsequently, these were crushed, transferred to glass fiber filters, in pyrolysis cups, and measured via Py-GC/MS. After a general data harmonization step, the trends in MP contamination were thoroughly investigated with regard to the respective sample set and the derived polymer compositions. While the overall trends in MP contamination were very similar, differences were observed in the polymer compositions. Furthermore, polymer masses were empirically calculated from FTIR data and compared with the Py-GC/MS results. Here, a most plausible shape-related overestimation of the calculated polymer masses was observed in samples with larger particles and increased particle numbers. Taking into account the different measurement principles of both methods, all results were examined and discussed, and future needs for harmonization of intermethodological results were identified and highlighted.Graphical abstract
Highlights
Microplastic (MP) particles [1] are considered as a new pollutant in the environment and their analysis is an emerging field in analytical chemistry [2,3,4,5]
MP were identified in all investigated samples using Py-gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR)
The concentrations determined via Py-GC/MS ranged from 6 to 2525 μg m−3 for treated waste water, 4.2–5.5 μg m−3 for surface water samples, and 8–144 μg kg−1 for marine sediments
Summary
Microplastic (MP) particles [1] are considered as a new pollutant in the environment and their analysis is an emerging field in analytical chemistry [2,3,4,5]. MP contamination can either be expressed as the number of particles present in a sample or as the mass concentration of the respective polymer. No MP mass concentrations are related to any environmental risk assessment while in particular small MP particles and numbers are important information for assessing the environmental impact of MP inclusive human health [10,11,12]. Besides size and mass of particles, their chemical identity is crucial as different polymer types may act differently due to their chemical composition, absorbed or inherent chemicals and density in modelling, and risk assessment studies [13]
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