Critical Assessment of Analytical Methods for the Harmonized and Cost-Efficient Analysis of Microplastics

Primpke, Sebastian; Christiansen, Silke; Cowger, Win; Frond, Hannah De; Deshpande, Ashok D.; Fischer, Marten; Holland, Erika B.; Meyns, Michaela; O’Donnell, Bridget A.; Oßmann, Barbara E.; Pittroff, Marco; Sarau, George; Scholz‐Böttcher, Barbara M.; Wiggin, Kara J.

doi:10.1177/0003702820921465

Cited by 279 publications

(316 citation statements)

References 353 publications

(872 reference statements)

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“…Plastic fibers were discriminated from other shaped particles by quantitative shape factors (elongation factor and roundness). In fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence intensity is a function of the instrument parameters (light source intensity, light source angle, camera acquisition capabilities), ambient light, and background fluorescence (described thoroughly in Primpke et al 10 ). Once the optimal fluorescence intensity, represented in grayscale, 18 or color index, 17 is identified for a standardized setting, it can be repeated to automate particle thresholding.…”

Section: Thresholdingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Review of Processing and Classification Techniques for Images and Spectra in Microplastic Research

et al. 2020

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Section: Thresholdingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Review of Processing and Classification Techniques for Images and Spectra in Microplastic Research

et al. 2020

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“…The analysis of MP faces several challenges due to variable properties of the targeted particles, complexity of environmental samples, and associated analytical costs [2,3,5,9]. Additionally, MP contamination can either be expressed as the number of particles present in a sample or as the mass concentration of the respective polymer.…”

Section: Electronic Supplementary Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The derived absorption spectra deliver a fingerprint of the material which is further analyzed via library searches against reference spectra. Both methods are currently used in many studies for the analysis of MP [2,3,5].…”

Section: Electronic Supplementary Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…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]. The ubiquitous pollution with MP causes concern to society and governments, and first legislations to govern MP in the marine environment, as well as in consumer products, are in preparation, e.g., in California, USA [6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and hyperspectral FTIR imaging spectroscopy for the analysis of microplastics

et al. 2020

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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.

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“…Standardized quantification and analysis procedures designed to analyze microplastics are critical to the design and data collection for comparative research studies [45]. Microplastics have high surface area solids and should be described in consensus terms [46]. The surface area of environmentally sampled microplastics was found to be a very important descriptor along with an accurate parameter to describe plastic size coupled with a description of plastic quantity per spatial area.…”

Section: Analytical Protocolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics

Glaser¹

2020

Bacterial Biofilms

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Microplastics are global pollutants in water media ranging from drinking water to freshwater streams to oceanic pollutant gyres. Besides the obvious appearance involving a scattered presence in the environmental landscape, microplastics are ubiquitous across modern society in products, food, and beginning to have strong economic effects too. Ingestion of microplastics is virtually unavoidable for each of us as we consume food, breathe air, or drink liquids. For example, beer has been found to be contaminated with plastic materials having the dimensions of microand nanoparticles. In the environment, the formation of biofilms on microplastics is widely observed and this can significantly alter properties important to environmental and human health. Significant research has been conducted on the role of biofilms in the fate and effect of microplastics on environmental and human health, with a general message to avoid contact with microplastics in the environment until more complete strategies for cleanup are developed.

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Critical Assessment of Analytical Methods for the Harmonized and Cost-Efficient Analysis of Microplastics

Cited by 279 publications

References 353 publications

Critical Review of Processing and Classification Techniques for Images and Spectra in Microplastic Research

Critical Review of Processing and Classification Techniques for Images and Spectra in Microplastic Research

Comparison of pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and hyperspectral FTIR imaging spectroscopy for the analysis of microplastics

The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics

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