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Huang Z, Hu B, Wang H. Analytical methods for microplastics in the environment: a review. Environ Chem Lett 2023; 21:383-401. [PMID: 36196263 PMCID: PMC9521859 DOI: 10.1007/s10311-022-01525-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is a recently discovered threat to ecosystems requiring the development of new analytical methods. Here, we review classical and advanced methods for microplastic analysis. Methods include visual analysis, laser diffraction particle, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis, mass spectrometry, aptamer and in vitro selection, and flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zike Huang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083 China
| | - Bo Hu
- School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW UK
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083 China
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Schrank I, Möller JN, Imhof HK, Hauenstein O, Zielke F, Agarwal S, Löder MGJ, Greiner A, Laforsch C. Microplastic sample purification methods - Assessing detrimental effects of purification procedures on specific plastic types. Sci Total Environ 2022; 833:154824. [PMID: 35351498 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In search of effective, fast, and cheap methods to purify environmental samples for microplastic analysis, scientific literature provides various purification protocols. However, while most of these protocols effectively purify the samples, some may also degrade the targeted polymers. This study was conducted to systematically compare the effects of purification protocols based on acidic, alkaline, oxidative, and enzymatic digestion and extraction via density separation on eight of the most relevant plastic types. It offers insights into how specific purification protocols may compromise microplastic detection by documenting visible and gravimetric effects, analyzing potential surface degradation using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and bulk erosion on a molecular level using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). For example, protocols using strong acids and high temperatures are likely to completely dissolve or cause strong degradation to a wide range of polymers (PA, PC, PET, PS, PUR & PVC), while strong alkaline solutions may damage PC and PET. Contrarily, Fenton's reagent, multiple enzymatic digestion steps, as well as treatment with a zinc chloride solution frequently used for density-separation, do not degrade the eight polymers tested here. Therefore, their implementation in microplastic sample processing may be considered an essential stepping-stone towards a standardized protocol for future microplastics analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Schrank
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Julia N Möller
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Hannes K Imhof
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Oliver Hauenstein
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Franziska Zielke
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Seema Agarwal
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Martin G J Löder
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Andreas Greiner
- Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
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Al-Azzawi MSM, Funck M, Kunaschk M, der Esch EV, Jacob O, Freier KP, Schmidt TC, Elsner M, Ivleva NP, Tuerk J, Knoop O, Drewes JE. Microplastic sampling from wastewater treatment plant effluents: Best-practices and synergies between thermoanalytical and spectroscopic analysis. Water Res 2022; 219:118549. [PMID: 35561623 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may represent point sources for microplastic discharge into the environment. Quantification of microplastic in effluents of WWTPs has been targeted by several studies although standardized methods are missing to enable a comparability of results. This study discusses theoretical and practical perspectives on best practices for microplastic sampling campaigns of WWTPs. One focus of the study was the potential for synergies between thermoanalytical and spectroscopic analysis to gain more representative sampling using the complementary information provided by the different analytical techniques. Samples were obtained before and after sand filtration from two WWTPs in Germany using cascade filtration with size classes of 5,000 - 100 µm, 100 - 50 µm, and 50 - 10 µm. For spectroscopic methods samples were treated by a Fenton process to remove natural organic matter, whereas TED-GC-MS required only sample extraction from the filter cascade. µFTIR spectroscopy was used for the 100 µm and 50 µm basket filters and µRaman spectroscopy was applied to analyze particles on the smallest basket filter (10 µm). TED-GC-MS was used for all size classes as it is size independent. All techniques showed a similar trend, where PE was consistently the most prominent polymer in WWTP effluents. Based on this insight, PE was chosen as surrogate polymer to investigate whether it can describe the total polymer removal efficiency of tertiary sand filters. The results revealed no significant difference (ANOVA) between retention efficiencies of tertiary sand filtration obtained using only PE and by analyzing all possible polymers with µFTIR and µRaman spectroscopy. Findings from this study provide valuable insights on advantages and limitations of cascade filtration, the benefit of complementary analyses, a suitable design for future experimental approaches, and recommendations for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed S M Al-Azzawi
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Matin Funck
- Institut für Energie - und Umwelttechnik e.V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Duisburg, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Elisabeth Von der Esch
- Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Oliver Jacob
- Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | | | - Torsten C Schmidt
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Martin Elsner
- Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Natalia P Ivleva
- Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Jochen Tuerk
- Institut für Energie - und Umwelttechnik e.V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Duisburg, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Oliver Knoop
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Jörg E Drewes
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
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Ahmed MB, Rahman MS, Alom J, Hasan MS, Johir MAH, Mondal MIH, Lee DY, Park J, Zhou JL, Yoon MH. Microplastic particles in the aquatic environment: A systematic review. Sci Total Environ 2021; 775:145793. [PMID: 33631597 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become one of the most severe environmental concerns today. MPs persist in the environment and cause adverse effects in organisms. This review aims to present a state-of-the-art overview of MPs in the aquatic environment. Personal care products, synthetic clothing, air-blasting facilities and drilling fluids from gas-oil industries, raw plastic powders from plastic manufacturing industries, waste plastic products and wastewater treatment plants act as the major sources of MPs. For MPs analysis, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), Py-MS methods, Raman spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy are regarded as the most promising methods for MPs identification and quantification. Due to the large surface area to volume ratio, crystallinity, hydrophobicity and functional groups, MPs can interact with various contaminants such as heavy metals, antibiotics and persistent organic contaminants. Among different physical and biological treatment technologies, the MPs removal performance decreases as membrane bioreactor (> 99%) > activated sludge process (~98%) > rapid sand filtration (~97.1%) > dissolved air floatation (~95%) > electrocoagulation (> 90%) > constructed wetlands (88%). Chemical treatment methods such as coagulation, magnetic separations, Fenton, photo-Fenton and photocatalytic degradation also show moderate to high efficiency of MP removal. Hybrid treatment technologies show the highest removal efficacies of MPs. Finally, future research directions for MPs are elaborated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Boshir Ahmed
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea; Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh; Centre for Green Technology, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Md Saifur Rahman
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea; Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Jahangir Alom
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Md Saif Hasan
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
| | - M A H Johir
- Centre for Green Technology, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - M Ibrahim H Mondal
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
| | - Da-Young Lee
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeil Park
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - John L Zhou
- Centre for Green Technology, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Myung-Han Yoon
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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