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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Detection Methods Environmental Sources Sign in to save

M. Sc

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 2024
Paul Dukek, Michael Kovermann, David Schleheck, David Schleheck

Summary

Researchers developed a workflow using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify and quantify microplastics in environmental surface water samples, enabling unambiguous polymer identification and precise mass quantification at atomic resolution independent of particle size.

Polymers

Microplastic quantification in environmental water samples by NMR spectroscopy We propose a workflow to examine microplastic contamination of environmental surface waters by applying high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic approaches. The detection of microplastics by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy enables the unambiguous identification and - at the same time - precise quantification of polymer chains at atomic resolution independent from the particle size. Quantitative one-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to quantify the mass of microplastics as to determine the type of the polymer. Two-dimensional 1H–13C Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence (HSQC) NMR spectroscopy was used to support the reliable identification of the type of the polymer. Also, translational diffusion and relaxation (T1 and T2 relaxation times) experiments have been performed on the environmental samples by conducting NMR spectroscopic approaches. These experiments allow to draw conclusions regarding the size and the distribution of the size of the polymer chains. The workflow developed achieved a limit of detection of 192.2 ng polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a recovery rate of 88 ± 25 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/554310/document

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