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Evaluation of Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Library Matching Programs for Micro- and Nanoplastic Analysis
Citation:
Gundersen, J., R. Burgess, AND K. Ho. Evaluation of Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Library Matching Programs for Micro- and Nanoplastic Analysis. SETAC North America, 43rd Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, November 13 - 17, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
Microplastics and nanoplastics are contaminants of emerging concern in marine environments because they may harm wildlife or enter the food chain. We examined ways to positively identify microplastics in water and sediment samples. The intended audience of this research includes state,local, and federal agencies interested in conducting microplastic research, as well as academic and private research institutions.
Description:
As concern about the impact of petroleum-based microplastics and nanoplastics (MNP) grows, numerous analytical methods for MNP in environmental matrices are being developed. To help standardize method development among researchers, Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) assembled and distributed a kit of 22 polymers commonly encountered as MNP. Pyrolysis-gc/ms (pyr-gc/ms) shows promise as a method to both identify and quantify MNP in environmental samples by producing pyrolyzates with distinctive and reproducible mass spectra. Pyr-gc/ms mass spectral libraries are being developed commercially and by individuals for identification of MNP. In this study, the polymers from the HPU kit were analyzed by pyr-gc/ms and evaluated using the commercial pyrolyzate libraries as well as a user-developed library. Pyrolysis conditions affected the pyrolyzates formed and thus the quality of the identification from established libraries. For user-defined libraries, it is critical that pyrolysis and chromatographic conditions be identical in sample and library analyses.
