Advancing microplastic analysis: Pyrolysis-GC-MS method development and validation for small polymer particles in complex environmental matrices

A novel Pyrolysis-GC-MS method was developed for the quantification of microplastics in environmental samples, addressing the need for reliable analytical techniques to assess microplastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. A multi-ion approach using one quantification ion and two confirmation ions for each of 12 common polymers was developed and validated according to the NF T 90-210 standard. Rigorous sampling and pretreatment protocols were implemented. The method was demonstrated to be applicable in quantifying microplastics in soils and river samples. In river water, total microplastic concentrations reached up to 1.4 µg/L, with PVC exhibiting the highest variability and median values among the detected polymers. In grassland soils, a wider diversity of polymers was observed, with PVC and PE being the major contributors and showing substantial spatial variability. These findings indicate that the developed Py-GC-MS method provides a robust and sensitive analytical framework for the identification and quantification of microplastics in complex environmental matrices, supporting advanced environmental monitoring and risk assessment.