Background: The ubiquitous occurrence of microplastic particles in marine and aquatic ecosystems was intensively investigated in the past decade. However, we know less about the presence, fate, and input paths of microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems. A possible entry path for microplastic into terrestrial ecosystems is the agricultural application of sewage sludge and solid bio-waste as fertilizers. Microplastic contained in sewage sludge also includes Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which could originate as fiber from textile products or as a fragment from packaging products (foils, bottles, etc.). Information about microplastic content in such environmental samples is limited yet, as most of the used analytical methods are very time-consuming, regarding sample preparation and detection, require sophisticated analytical tools and eventually need high user knowledge.
Results: Here, we present a simple, specific tool for the analysis of PET microplastic particles based on alkaline extraction of PET from the environmental matrix and subsequent determination of the monomers, terephthalic acid, using liquid chromatography with UV detection (LC-UV). The applicability of the method is shown for different types of PET in several soil-related, terrestrial environmental samples, e.g., soil, sediment, compost, fermentation residues, but also sewage sludge, suspended particles from urban water management systems, and indoor dust. Recoveries for model samples are between 94.5 and 107.1%. Limit of determination and limit of quantification are absolute masses of 0.031 and 0.121 mg PET, respectively. In order to verify the measured mass contents of the environmental samples, a method comparison with thermal extraction-desorption-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) was conducted. Both methods deliver similar results and corroborated each other. PET mass contents in environmental samples range from values below LOQ in agriculture soil up to 57,000 mg kg−1 in dust samples.
Conclusions: We demonstrate the potential of an integral method based on chemical extraction for the Determination of PET mass contents in solid environmental samples. The method was successfully applied to various matrices and may serve as an analytical tool for further investigations of PET-based microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems.
A set of highly fluorescent, pH-responsive boron dipyrromethene dyes covering the pH range of 5-12 is presented for broad range pH measurements in mixed aqueous-organic median and polymer matrices. Readout in the intensity Domain with low cost and miniaturized Instrumentation utilizes reversible protonation induced switching ON of their initially completely quenched flourescence mediated by photoinduced electron Transfer. All dyes, rationally designed to reveal closely matching Absorption and Emission properties, are accessible via facile two-step reactions in Overall yields of up to 20%. By modifying the Substitution pattern of the meso-Aryl substiuent, the pKa values could be fine-tuned from 6 to 11. Integration of these molecules into polymeric films by a simple mixing procedure yielded reversible and longterm stable pH sensors for naked eye detection.
The influence of different types of low and atmospheric pressure plasma on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has been studied in terms of changes in molar mass and molar mass distribution. Apart from a variation of plasma gases (oxygen, helium) different types of plasma (microwave, radio frequency, corona discharge) were used for the plasma surface modification. The changes in molar mass and types of functional end groups of lower molar mass products were investigated by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS), whereas the high-molar mass fraction was analyzed by means of size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The formation of crosslinked products during exposure to a helium plasma, which emits preponderately energy-rich and intense ultraviolet radiation, was proved by means of thermal field-flow fractionation (ThFFF). This method combined with a multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS) detector allows detection of weakly crosslinked polymers and microgels. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1639-1648, 1998
Suicide gene therapy with the herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase gene (HSV-1 tk) is considered to be a promising approach to the treatment of cancer. Making use of the lower specificity of the viral enzyme compared to human thymidine kinase, the therapy involves the administration of antiviral agents (e.g., ganciclovir) as prodrugs to induce enzymatic cell death in those cells that express the transferred gene. 18F-labelled derivatives have been described for monitoring location, duration, and magnitude of the viral kinase enzyme activity by positron emission tomography (PET). Since an optimal radiotracer has not been developed, novel substances were synthesized for monitoring gene expression. A group of 13 nucleoside analogues were synthesized, among them N1-methyl-9-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine (5) and N1-methyl-9-[(4-hydroxy)-3-hydroxymethylbutyl]guanine (7) as methyl analogues of ganciclovir and penciclovir and their related fluoro compounds (6, 8). Further novel derivatives include N6-methyl-9-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]-, N6-methyl-9-[(4-hydroxy)-3-hydroxymethylbutyl]adenine (9, 10), as well as the uracil derivatives 5-hydroxy-1-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]uracil (11), 6-methyl-1-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)-methyl]uracil (12), and its 3-fluoro-derivative (13).