We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
NMR-Based Quantification of Microplastics and Their Degradation Products in Environmental Water Samples
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested a chemical method called qNMR to measure plastic pollution dissolved in water samples from five sites near a polluted islet, before and after a major cleanup. The method found much higher plastic amounts than a standard particle-counting technique, though both methods showed similar patterns across locations, with polyethylene making up most of the plastic detected.
Reliable quantification of microplastics (MPs) in environmental waters is limited by conventional methods that count particles above a size threshold and infer mass indirectly. Quantitative proton NMR (qNMR) instead measures the dissolved mass of each polymer directly and is largely insensitive to particle size, shape, and degradation state. We applied qNMR to ten surface-water samples collected in 2021 and 2022 from five sites around a heavily polluted islet, before and after the removal of 1,805 kg of macroplastic debris. Three solvent systems, tetrahydrofuran-d 8 (THF-d 8 ), chloroform/trifluoroacetic acid-d (CDCl 3 /TFA-d; 4:1), and p-xylene/1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (p-xylene-d 10 /1,2,4-trichlorobenzene; 1:1), were used to dissolve and quantify six polymers previously tested for accuracy and reliability (polyethylene, PE; polystyrene, PS; polyvinyl chloride, PVC; polyurethane, PU; polyethylene terephthalate, PET; and polyisoprene, PI) and resolved additional signals tentatively assigned to PS, PVC, and PET oxidation products. PE dominated the extractable mass (82–100%), and concentrations fell by up to ~26-fold (more than one order of magnitude) after clean-up. qNMR-derived concentrations exceeded those from particle-based micro-FTIR (µFTIR), often by orders of magnitude, yet correlation (Pearson r = 0.66), indicated that the two techniques track the same spatial gradients while measuring fundamentally different quantities. qNMR thus provides a mass-based complement to particle-based monitoring, particularly for weathered and fragmented pollution. The reported masses are upper estimates pending benchmarking against other mass-based methods.
More Papers Like This
High-resolution NMR spectroscopic approaches to quantify PET microplastics pollution in environmental freshwater samples
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a workflow using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect and quantify polyethylene terephthalate microplastic contamination in environmental water samples. The NMR-based approach enables unambiguous identification and precise measurement of PET particles in surface waters. The study offers a promising new analytical tool for monitoring microplastic pollution that complements existing detection methods.
The first application of quantitative 1H NMR spectroscopy as a simple and fast method of identification and quantification of microplastic particles (PE, PET, and PS)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated that quantitative ¹H NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) can identify and quantify polyethylene, PET, and polystyrene microplastic particles in solution with linearity above R²=0.994 and detection limits in the environmentally relevant range (~19–21 μg/mL), offering a faster size-independent alternative to conventional FTIR and Raman particle counting.
Unlocking the potential of NMR spectroscopy for precise and efficient quantification of microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can precisely identify and quantify six common plastic polymer types — including polystyrene and PVC — at concentrations as low as 0.2 micrograms per milliliter, outperforming traditional methods. This advance offers a faster, more accurate tool for measuring microplastic contamination in environmental samples.
Applicable and cost‐efficient microplastic analysis by quantitative 1 H‐NMR spectroscopy using benchtop NMR and NoD methods
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated that low-cost benchtop NMR spectrometers can be used to quantify microplastics in solution, making the technique more accessible and affordable for routine environmental monitoring. This advance could help expand microplastic testing beyond well-funded research labs.
Low molecular weight polymers in aquatic environments as pollutants of emerging concerns: recovery, quantification and microstructure
AI summary Read the abstract
This study developed a new method using solution NMR spectroscopy to isolate and quantify low-molecular-weight synthetic polymers (polyethylene and PDMS) directly from seawater, bypassing some limitations of traditional spectroscopic approaches. The analytical advance matters because accurate quantification of dissolved and near-dissolved polymer debris in marine water is essential for assessing true human and ecological exposure to plastic contamination.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.