Reference materials for microplastics in environmental matrices
- The pollution of marine, limnic and terrestrial environments with plastic waste and the potential impact especially on biota and humans has received increasing attention in recent years. Special focus is on particles smaller than 5 mm, the so-called microplastics. Consequently, possible regulations of emission and remediation efforts require sound information on the occurrence and fate of microplastics in the respective environmental compartments.
Microplastics (MP) differ from classical organic pollutants in biota or the environment in that they do not consist of clearly defined low-molecular weight compounds but of polymer particulates with varying sizes and chemical compositions. This leads to specific challenges regarding the analytical techniques to be employed for their identification and quantification.
Microplastics are defined as polymer particle in the size range between 1 µm and 5 mm and cover a wide range of polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene andThe pollution of marine, limnic and terrestrial environments with plastic waste and the potential impact especially on biota and humans has received increasing attention in recent years. Special focus is on particles smaller than 5 mm, the so-called microplastics. Consequently, possible regulations of emission and remediation efforts require sound information on the occurrence and fate of microplastics in the respective environmental compartments.
Microplastics (MP) differ from classical organic pollutants in biota or the environment in that they do not consist of clearly defined low-molecular weight compounds but of polymer particulates with varying sizes and chemical compositions. This leads to specific challenges regarding the analytical techniques to be employed for their identification and quantification.
Microplastics are defined as polymer particle in the size range between 1 µm and 5 mm and cover a wide range of polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate in variable geometric shapes. Properties relevant for environmental microplastics are polymer type, particle form and size distribution, surface morphology (aging status) and total mass fraction contained in a given sample. Polymer identification and particle size estimation using optical methods (IR and Raman spectroscopy) are time consuming and complicated by surface characteristics as a result of weathering, soiling, and microbial colonisation. Total mass fractions of MP in environmental samples can be determined by thermo-analytical methods.
There are currently no standardised methods for sampling, sampling preparation, or detection of MP in environmental samples. So far, qualitative and quantitative investigations are done by research institutes and have not reached the routine laboratory community. The near future will see harmonisation efforts of MP mass fraction determination in environmental matrices by thermo-analytical procedures.
The immediate need for reference materials during method development and comparison is outlined with regard to relevant matrix/polymer compositions, existing regulations and currently achievable detection limits. Examples for solid environmental matrix reference materials are discussed regarding the challenges encountered with matrices and polymer types as well as homogeneity testing and property value characterisation.…
Autor*innen: | Roland BeckerORCiD |
---|---|
Weitere Person: | Korinna AltmannORCiD, Ulrike BraunORCiD |
Dokumenttyp: | Posterpräsentation |
Veröffentlichungsform: | Präsentation |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2018 |
Organisationseinheit der BAM: | 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien |
1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien / 1.7 Organische Spuren- und Lebensmittelanalytik | |
6 Materialchemie | |
6 Materialchemie / 6.6 Physik und chemische Analytik der Polymere | |
DDC-Klassifikation: | Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Ingenieurwissenschaften / Sanitär- und Kommunaltechnik; Umwelttechnik |
Freie Schlagwörter: | Referenzmaterialien; Schwebstoffe Polymer; Sediment |
Themenfelder/Aktivitätsfelder der BAM: | Umwelt |
Veranstaltung: | BERM 2018 15th International Symposium on Biological and Environmental Reference Materials |
Veranstaltungsort: | Berlin, Germany |
Beginndatum der Veranstaltung: | 23 September 2018 |
Enddatum der Veranstaltung: | 26 September 2018 |
Verfügbarkeit des Dokuments: | Datei im Netzwerk der BAM verfügbar ("Closed Access") |
Datum der Freischaltung: | 09.10.2018 |
Referierte Publikation: | Nein |