TY - JOUR A1 - Dümichen, Erik A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Celina, M. A1 - Braun, Ulrike T1 - Automated thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry: A multifunctional tool for comprehensive characterization of polymers and their degradation products N2 - The TED-GC-MS analysis is a two-step method. A sample is first decomposed in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and the gaseous decomposition products are then trapped on a solid-phase adsorber. Subsequently, the solid-phase adsorber is analyzed with thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TDU-GC-MS). This method is ideally suited for the analysis of polymers and their degradation processes. Here, a new entirely automated System is introduced which enables high sample throughput and reproducible automated fractioned collection of decomposition products. Strengths and limitations of the system configuration are elaborated via three examples focused on practical challenges in materials analysis and identification: i) separate analysis of the components of a wood-plastic-composite material, ii) quantitative determination of weight concentration of the constituents of a polymer blend and iii) quantitative analysis of model samples of microplastics in suspended particulate matter. KW - Thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry KW - Analysis KW - Polymers KW - Microplastics KW - Automation PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2019.01.033 VL - 1592 SP - 133 EP - 142 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-48287 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Klöckner, P. A1 - Reemtsma, T. A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Braun, Ulrike A1 - Ruhl, A. S. A1 - Wagner, S. T1 - Tire and road wear particles in road environment e Quantification and assessment of particle dynamics by Zn determination after density separation N2 - In this study, a method for the determination of tire and road wear particle (TRWP) contents in particulate samples from road Environment was developed. Zn was identified as the most suitable elemental marker for TRWP, due to its high concentration in tire tread and the possibility of separation from other Zn sources. The mean concentration of 21 tire samples was 8.7 ± 2.0 mg Zn/g. Before quantification in samples from road environment, TRWP were separated from the particulate matrix by density separation. Method development was conducted using shredded tread particles (TP) as a surrogate for TRWP. Recovery of TP from spiked sediment was 95 ± 17% in a concentration range of 2 - 200 mg TP/g. TP determination was not affected by other Zn containing solids or spiked Zn-salts. By adjusting the density of the separation solution to 1.9 g/cm3, more than 90% of total TRWP were separated from the sample matrix. TRWP concentrations in particulate matter collected in two road runoff treatment Systems ranged from 0.38 to 150 mg TRWP/g. Differences in quantified TRWP contents of the two Systems indicate changes in particle dynamics due to ageing and aggregation processes. The developed method allows TRWP determination in road runoff and in environments that are influenced by road traffic. The validated separation procedure can also be applied for TRWP characterization in future studies. KW - Zinc analysis KW - Microplastics KW - Tire particles PY - 2019 VL - 222 SP - 714 EP - 721 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-47433 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Braun, Ulrike A1 - Bannick, C.G. A1 - Szewzyk, R. A1 - Ricking, M. A1 - Schniegler, S. A1 - Obermaier, N. A1 - Barthel, A. K. A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Eisentraut, Paul T1 - Development and testing of a fractionated filtration for sampling of microplastics in water N2 - A harmonization of sampling, sample preparation and detection is pivotal in order to obtain comparable data on microplastics (MP) in the environment. This paper develops and proposes a suitable sampling concept for waterbodies that considers different plastic specific properties and influencing factors in the environment. Both artificial water including defined MP fractions and the discharge of a wastewater treatment plant were used to verify the derived sampling procedure, sample preparation and the subsequent analysis of MP using thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS). A major finding of this paper is that an application of various particle size classes greatly improves the practical handling of the sampling equipment. Size classes also enable the TED-GC-MS to provide any data on the MP size distribution, a substantial sampling property affecting both the necessary sampling volume and the optimal sampling depth. In the artificial water with defined MP fractions, the recovery rates ranged from 80 to 110%, depending on the different MP types and MP size classes. In the treated wastewater, we found both Polyethylene and polystyrene in different size classes and quantities. KW - Microplastics KW - Sampling KW - Sampling techniques KW - Water PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.045 SN - 0043-1354 VL - 149 SP - 650 EP - 658 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-47200 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dümichen, Erik A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Bannick, Claus Gerhard A1 - Barthel, Anne-Kathrin A1 - Senz, R. A1 - Braun, Ulrike T1 - Fast identification of microplastics in complex environmental samples by a thermal degradation method N2 - In order to determine the relevance of microplastic particles in various environmental media, comprehensive investigations are needed. However, no analytical method exists for fast identification and quantification. At present, optical spectroscopy methods like IR and RAMAN imaging are used. Due to their time consuming procedures and uncertain extrapolation, reliable monitoring is difficult. For analyzing polymers Py-GC-MS is a standard method. However, due to a limited sample amount of about 0.5 mg it is not suited for analysis of complex sample mixtures like environmental samples. Therefore, we developed a new thermoanalytical method as a first step for identifying microplastics in environmental samples. A sample amount of about 20 mg, which assures the homogeneity of the sample, is subjected to complete thermal decomposition. The specific degradation products of the respective polymer are adsorbed on a solid-Phase adsorber and subsequently analyzed by thermal Desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry. For certain identification, the specific degradation products for the respective polymer were selected first. Afterwards real environmental samples from the aquatic (three different rivers) and the terrestrial (bio gas plant) systems were screened for microplastics. Mainly polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) were identified for the samples from the bio gas plant and PE and PS from the rivers. However, this was only the first step and quantification measurements will follow. KW - Microplastics KW - Thermal desorption KW - Gas chromatography PY - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.02.010 SN - 0045-6535 SN - 1879-1298 IS - 174 SP - 572 EP - 584 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-40235 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Elert, Anna Maria A1 - Becker, Roland A1 - Dümichen, Erik A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Braun, Ulrike T1 - Comparison of different methods for MP detection: What can we learn from them, and why asking the right question before measurments matters? N2 - In recent years, an increasing trend towards investigating and monitoring the contamination of the environment by microplastics (MP) (plastic pieces < 5 mm) has been observed worldwide. Nonetheless, a reliable methodology that would facilitate and automate the monitoring of MP is still lacking. With the goal of selecting practical and standardized methods, and considering the challenges in microplastics detection, we present here a critical evaluation of two vibrational spectroscopies, Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and two extraction methods: thermal extraction desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS) and liquid extraction with subsequent size exclusion chromatography (SEC) using a soil with known contents of PE, PP, PS and PET as reference material. The obtained results were compared in terms of measurement time, technique handling, detection limits and requirements for sample preparation. The results showed that in designing and selecting the right methodology, the scientific question that determines what needs to be understood is significant, and should be considered carefully prior to analysis. Depending on whether the object of interest is quantification of the MP particles in the sample, or merely a quick estimate of sample contamination with plastics, the appropriate method must be selected. To obtain overall information about MP in environmental samples, the combination of several parallel approaches should be considered. KW - Microplastics KW - FTIR imaging KW - Raman imaging KW - TED-GC-MS KW - SEC KW - Analysis and identification PY - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.08.074 SN - 0269-7491 SN - 1873-6424 VL - 231 IS - 2 SP - 1256 EP - 1264 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-42157 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -