Methods for Micro‐ and Nanoplastics Analysis

The high consumption of plastic materials, especially packages, and inefficient recycling processes are the main factors that have contributed to the pollution of terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric ecosystems by plastic fragments, which can be found in a large range of sizes. However, the biggest problems are generated by micro- and nanoplastics because these materials can be air transported and bioaccumulate and contaminate all living beings. Thus, consumption reduction, recycling, or the correct destination of these materials are strictly necessary; however, contamination by micro- and nanoplastics is not easy to solve, so efficient remediation methods are necessary. However, before considering the treatment methods, the best way to identify and quantify these materials should be found considering the great diversity of polymers and contaminated matrices. In this sense, this review chapter presents a description of the sources and occurrences of micro- and nanoplastics, pre-treatment of the samples before the analysis, and provides a deep review of the several techniques that can be used to characterize, identify, and quantify micro- and nanoplastics. Thus, this chapter provides an overview of the countless possibilities of techniques and their advantages, and limitations, contributing to the knowledge of this global problem.