Quantification of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and nanoplastics in sands, indoor dust and sludge using a simplified in-matrix depolymerization method. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tian, Lei; Skoczynska, Ewa; Siddhanti, Deepti; van Putten, Robert-Jan; Leslie, Heather A.; Gruter, Gert-Jan M.
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 175(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Ethylene glycol -- Glycolysis -- PET microfibers -- Microplastics -- Nanoplastics; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113403
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: An effective 3-step method for the quantification of mass of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and nanoplastics (PET MNPs) in complex environmental matrices was developed based on a simplified in-matrix depolymerization. Liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with ultraviolet (UV) detection was used for detection and quantification. Recoveries for PET-spiked sand samples were 99 ± 2% (1 mg/L) and 93 ± 7% (30 mg/L). The limit of quantification (LOQ) for PET was 0.4 μg/g for sand, 1 mg/g for indoor dust and 0.2 μg/g for wet sludge. This method was applied to seven beach sand samples, 20 indoor dust samples and one sewage sludge sample. PET MNPs levels in sand samples were all below the limit of detection (LOD) of LC-UV (0.1 μg/g). The concentrations of PET MNPs in indoor dust samples ranged from 1.2 to 305 mg/g and the PET MNPs in liquid sludge was 1.5 mg/L. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: A simple method for mass quantification of PET micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) was developed. PET is depolymerized to bis(2-hydroxyethyl)terephthalate (BHET) which is quantified. PET MNPs in indoor dust samples ranged from 1.2 to 305 mg/g. PET MNPs in beach sand was below the detection limit; in liquid sludge it was 1.5 mg/L.