A new elemental analytical approach for microplastic sum parameter analysis in environmental samples – ETV/ICP-MS with CO2
- Plastics are indispensable in our daily lives. Due to their easy processability, durability, and lightweight properties, they are the base material of many consumer and industry products. However, with reported amounts of millions of tons per year, plastic pollution has become a globally emerging problem. In the environment, plastic waste undergoes degradation, leading to the formation of persistent, synthetic particles smaller than 5 mm, known as microplastics (MPs).
Toxicological concerns mainly arise from MP uptake by various organisms, including humans. MPs act as transport vectors for hazardous chemicals, e.g., polymer additives, bacteria, and other environmental pollutants. Existing approaches for MP analysis focus on particle size, number, and information on the polymer types. However, there is a lack of analytical tools for a fast and comprehensive assessment of the pollution situation based on the MP mass without limitations to size and polymer types. In this context, a newPlastics are indispensable in our daily lives. Due to their easy processability, durability, and lightweight properties, they are the base material of many consumer and industry products. However, with reported amounts of millions of tons per year, plastic pollution has become a globally emerging problem. In the environment, plastic waste undergoes degradation, leading to the formation of persistent, synthetic particles smaller than 5 mm, known as microplastics (MPs).
Toxicological concerns mainly arise from MP uptake by various organisms, including humans. MPs act as transport vectors for hazardous chemicals, e.g., polymer additives, bacteria, and other environmental pollutants. Existing approaches for MP analysis focus on particle size, number, and information on the polymer types. However, there is a lack of analytical tools for a fast and comprehensive assessment of the pollution situation based on the MP mass without limitations to size and polymer types. In this context, a new mass balance approach for the MPs analysis in environmental samples via electrothermal vaporization coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ETV/ICP-MS) has been developed as a complementary screening tool to existing methods.
With ETV/ICP-MS, the bulk detection of MPs via the 13C isotope as a sum parameter of common polymer types was achievable relatively unaffected by the respective size across the nano-to-micrometer scale. A new mass-based approach through an external gas calibration with carbon dioxide enabled the fast quantification of the MP content in MP-soil mixtures of different portions. By this, the analysis was achievable within a few minutes of analysis time per sample. Furthermore, the potential of polymer heteroatoms and contaminants for the sensitive detection in carbon-rich matrices was investigated.…


| Autor*innen: | Vera Scharek |
|---|---|
| Koautor*innen: | Tommy Kröger, Karin Keil, Heike TraubORCiD, Björn Meermann |
| Dokumenttyp: | Vortrag |
| Veröffentlichungsform: | Präsentation |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2025 |
| Organisationseinheit der BAM: | 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien |
| 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien / 1.1 Anorganische Spurenanalytik | |
| 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien / 1.9 Chemische und optische Sensorik | |
| DDC-Klassifikation: | Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Ingenieurwissenschaften / Sanitär- und Kommunaltechnik; Umwelttechnik |
| Freie Schlagwörter: | Electrothermal Vaporization; Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry; Microplastics; Soil; Sum parameter analysis |
| Themenfelder/Aktivitätsfelder der BAM: | Umwelt |
| Umwelt / Umwelt-Material-Interaktionen | |
| Veranstaltung: | ANAKON 2025 |
| Veranstaltungsort: | Leipzig, Germany |
| Beginndatum der Veranstaltung: | 10.03.2025 |
| Enddatum der Veranstaltung: | 13.03.2025 |
| Verfügbarkeit des Dokuments: | Datei im Netzwerk der BAM verfügbar ("Closed Access") |
| Datum der Freischaltung: | 03.04.2025 |
| Referierte Publikation: | Nein |
| Eingeladener Vortrag (wissenschaftliche Konferenzen): | Nein |

