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Measuring nanoplastics in the atmosphere and other environmental compartments by TD-PTR-MS
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Researchers developed a thermal desorption proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry method to measure nanoplastics in atmospheric samples and other environmental compartments, providing a new analytical tool for quantifying these poorly characterized ultrafine particles.
Plastic pollution has been recognised to be a global problem, as particles of various sizes have been detected in water, soil and air, from urban to remote areas. Nanoplastics have been suspected to be a significant environmental and health problem; however, until recently, no quantitative method was available to measure the nanoplastics in environmental samples. Thermal Desorption – Proton Transfer Reaction – Mass Spectrometry (TD-PTR-MS) offers a good sensitivity, which makes the technique capable of measuring nanoplastics in environmental samples in the sub-nanogram range – opening new venues for plastics-related research. So far, we have successfully measured and reported nanoplastics deposited on the snow surface in the Alps [1], remote field sites in the French Pyrenees [2], rural surface water in Sweden and Siberia [3], in the Dutch Wadden Sea [4], urban air [5], and Greenland ice core and Antarctica sea ice [6]. Here, we will discuss nanoplastic loads for these different environmental compartments and their connection to the atmospheric transport of nanoplastics. We will discuss the methodological challenges and research gaps associated with measuring ultrafine micro- and nanoplastics. [1] D. Materić, E. Ludewig, D. Brunner, T. Röckmann, and R. Holzinger, “Nanoplastics transport to the remote, high-altitude Alps,” Environ. Pollut., p. 117697, Jul. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117697.[2] S. Allen et al., “An early comparison of nano to microplastic mass in a remote catchment’s atmospheric deposition,” J. Hazard. Mater. Adv., vol. 7, p. 100104, Aug. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100104.[3] D. Materić et al., “Presence of nanoplastics in rural and remote surface waters,” Environ. Res. Lett., vol. 17, no. 5, p. 054036, May 2022, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac68f7.[4] D. Materić, R. Holzinger, and H. Niemann, “Nanoplastics and ultrafine microplastic in the Dutch Wadden Sea – The hidden plastics debris?,” Sci. Total Environ., vol. 846, p. 157371, Nov. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157371.[5] B. Kirchsteiger, D. Materić, F. Happenhofer, R. Holzinger, and A. Kasper-Giebl, “Fine micro- and nanoplastics particles (PM2.5) in urban air and their relation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,” Atmos. Environ., vol. 301, p. 119670, May 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.119670.[6] D. Materić, H. A. Kjær, P. Vallelonga, J.-L. Tison, T. Röckmann, and R. Holzinger, “Nanoplastics measurements in Northern and Southern polar ice,” Environ. Res., vol. 208, p. 112741, May 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112741.
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TD-PTR-MS for nanoplastics research – high sensitivity and big challenges
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This contribution describes the use of Thermal Desorption-Proton Transfer Reaction-Mass Spectrometry (TD-PTR-MS) for detecting nanoplastics in environmental samples by exploiting the characteristic volatile signatures released when different plastics are heated. The method offers high sensitivity but faces challenges from complex environmental matrices.
Thermal desorption and analysis of atmospheric nanoplastics via PTR-MS
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Scientists developed a new method to detect tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics in air and water by heating them up and analyzing the gases they release. This is important because nanoplastics are so small they can get into our bodies through the air we breathe and food we eat, but until now they've been very hard to measure. The new technique could help researchers better understand how much plastic pollution we're actually exposed to and its potential health effects.
Fully quantitative analysis of nano-plastics in environmental samples using TD-PTR-MS and multivariate standard addition
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Researchers developed a fully quantitative analytical method using thermal desorption pyrolysis-GC/MS to measure nanoplastics in environmental samples, addressing the technical challenges of detecting particles present at low concentrations in complex matrices. The method provides quantitative data on nanoplastic mass concentrations in environmental samples, enabling more rigorous risk assessment.
Fully quantitative analysis of nano-plastics in environmental samples using TD-PTR-MS and multivariate standard addition
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This study developed a fully quantitative method for analyzing nanoplastics in environmental samples using thermal desorption pyrolysis-GC/MS, addressing the challenge that nanoplastics are often present at low concentrations in complex matrices. The approach advances detection capabilities needed to accurately assess nanoplastic pollution in natural systems.
High-resolution TD-PTR-MS as a novel analytical technique for nanoplastic detection– quantification in high-altitude glacial snow samples
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Researchers used high-resolution thermal desorption proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry as a novel method to detect and quantify nanoplastics in snow samples collected from high-altitude sites on the Haute Route mountaineering route between France and Switzerland. The method successfully identified nanoplastic signatures in remote glacial snow, confirming atmospheric transport of nanoplastics to high-elevation environments.
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