Challenges in characterization of nanoplastics in the environment

Abstract

Plastic pollution has been a legacy environment problems and more recently, the plastic particles, especially those ultrafine or small plastics particles, are widely recognized with increasing environmental and ecological impacts. Among small plastics, microplastics are intensively studied, whereas the physicochemical properties, environmental abundance, chemical states, bioavailability and toxicity toward organisms of nanoplastics are inadequately investigated. There are substantial difficulties in separation, visualization and chemical identification of nanoplastics due to their small sizes, relatively low concentrations and interferences from coexisting substances (e.g., dyes or natural organic matters). Moreover, detection of polymers at nanoscale is largely hampered by the detection limit or sensitivity for existing spectral techniques such as Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) or Raman Spectroscopy. This article critically examined the current state of art techniques that are exclusively reported for nanoplastic characterization in environmental samples. Based on their operation principles, potential applications and limitations of these analytical techniques are carefully analyzed.

Sample transformation in online separations: how chemical conversion advances analytical technology

“…However, thermal transformation is commonly reported to assess environmental micro-and nanoplastics, with pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC) being a useful hyphenated technique. 69,72,[79][80][81] In the field of polymers, Py-GC-MS is one of the most established tools to study the monomer composition. Readers interested in Py-GC-MS for this application are referred elsewhere.…”

“…In environmental sciences, NPs are commonly polymer based and therefore referred to as plastics with a size range up to 100 nm, whilst submicron particles are sometimes referred to as microplastics. 69 NPs are complex systems, often formed by multiple components, and of large size. Their analysis often requires investigating multiple attributes (e.g.…”

A Path to a Reduction in Micro and Nanoplastics Pollution

“…Existing studies seldom investigate the removal efficiency of NP, particularly at existing WWTPs, since most particles detected with current detecting technologies exceed 1 micrometer [ 95 ]. This suggests that the current detection methods must be enhanced in order to better study the effect of size on the removal efficiency [ 96 , 97 ]. Bio- and photodegradation are more appropriate for complete degradation and mineralization, but they require a comparatively long time to achieve adequate remediation [ 98 ].…”

Chemical characterization of microplastic particles formed in airborne waste discharged from sewer pipe repairs

“…However, characterizing chemical composition of the micrometer and sub-micrometer microplastic is more challenging. 27,28 Traditional Raman and FTIR spectroscopy possess spatial resolution limits that make it difficult to characterize individual particles of the sub-micrometer sizes. 26,29 Mass spectrometry measurements are sensitivity limited as well due to small sample size and therefore require additional steps in sample preparation, such as sample digestion or preconcentration.…”