The current role of chromatography in microplastic research: Plastics chemical characterization and sorption of contaminants

Abstract

Microplastic research constitutes nowadays a very interesting and challenging research field since more and more studies are showing that plastic particles are present in every environmental compartment (water, air, soil and biota) in which they are causing important effects that still need to be fully understood. The study of their presence, behavior and fate in the environment is extremely necessary to solve such puzzle. In this context, chromatography is currently playing a very important role, since it is being used to determine the composition of microplastics (in particular those with an extremely low size), to study their sorption behavior as well as to analyze the organic contaminants that they retain during their travel through the environment, among other issues. This review article pretends to provide an overview of such relevant applications, in particular, focusing on works published in the last ten years, as well as to highlight the potential of chromatography as part of this relevant research field.