Datei im Netzwerk der BAM verfügbar ("Closed Access")
Filtern
Dokumenttyp
- Vortrag (7)
Referierte Publikation
- nein (7)
Schlagworte
- Reference materials (7) (entfernen)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
The talk summarizes challenges in microplastic analysis. It shows the preparation of microplastic reference materials as well as the testing on homogeneity and stability. The reference material is used in an international laboratory comparison to compare different detection methods used for microplastic analysis. The methods used were µ-IR (FTIR+LDIR) for number-based methods and TED-GC/MS and Py-GC/MS for mass-based methods. The ILC was done under the umbrella of VAMAS TWA 45. Results of the participants are presented.
Results from different methods applied to micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) analysis show that there are large gaps in harmonisation with respect to terminology, size classes, sample preparation protocols and, finally, to the comparability of the measurands and descriptors.
Within the European research cluster to understand the health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics (CUSP) working group WG3-Inter-Laboratory Comparisons an overview of the existing detection methods revealing advantages and disadvantages regarding the analytical tasks is being compiled. There is a clear need to develop high class characterized reference materials for MNPs in the size ranges of 100-10 µm and smaller than 10 µm, so that these can be used to validate methods and to make results comparable. Inter-laboratory comparisons (ILCs) on model samples with complex matrices regarding mass, or water samples for number-based methods, will help us to advance the process of harmonization as well as to train users early in process of developing new methods.
We plan to keep all five CUSP projects well-connected also with the 'outside' MNP projects and ILCs and to extract the optimum of needs, capabilities, and efforts in order to launch new VAMAS ILCs which should expand already available ones.
Discussions in science, politics and public media about microplastic in the Environment and its unclear effects for animals and humans are common these days.
Although microplastic findings in water, soil and even air are well known, no general estimations about the quality or quantity of microplastic particles in environment exit. Research is necessary to develop reliable and traceable, harmonized protocols for sampling, sample preparation and fast, but accurate analysis for qualitative and quantitative measurement of microplastic in various environmental matrices. For development of such reliable and traceable methods, the use of microplastic reference materials is necessary to assess various concepts. These microplastic reference particles should be an appropriate reflection of the microplastic particles found in environment.
Due to the high use in industrial products six polymers seem to be relevant in environment as microplastic particles: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA) and polyvinylchloride (PVC). The raw source of These thermoplastic materials are pellets or granulate with dimensions of 1 to 5 mm in diameter. Most common they own a regular cylindrical shape or are prolate sphericals. These can be bought cost-efficient by various polymer producers. But discussions in microplastic research topic lead to particle sizes down to 1 μm. Furthermore, various unregular shapes and geometries of the particles have to be considered as well as an oxidized surface. In the present work we engage the acquisition and production of
realistic reference material. Different aspects should demonstrate the complex and difficult task of generating approriate, cost-efficient and well-defined reference materials. The particle size distribution by using
different particle sizing methods as well as individual particle shapes are documented. Different material properties were addressed. PE, PS and PA were chosen as typical and relevant microplastic with opposite individual material characteristics in density and glass Transition temperature. The easiest possibility for acquisition of small microplastic particles is the purchase of polymer emulsion particles (20 to 150 μm).
An alternative possibility to produce small microplastic particles is milling under liquid nitrogen conditions in cryo mills. Particles purchased or self-made differ strongly in shape and size depending on production method.
SETAC