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Low molecular weight polymers in aquatic environments as pollutants of emerging concerns: recovery, quantification and microstructure
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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.
Microplastics and, more in general, synthetic polymer debrides of anthropic origin are accumulating in the environment, in particular in marine water and sediments, with risks associated for aquatic organisms and humans not well wholly understood. In this contribution it is reported a new method for the isolation of microplastics from surface seawater and the quantification by solution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) with respect to a known concentration of an internal standard (mesitylene) dissolving the microplastics in 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane-d2 (TCE-d2). TCE-d2 is a high boiling solvent that allowed the analysis and quantification of poly(ethylene) (PE) and poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) MPs at 80 °C.
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Micro(nano)plastics from synthetic oligomers persisting in Mediterranean seawater: Comprehensive NMR analysis, concerns and origins.
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Researchers developed a novel method to detect and quantify ultra-small synthetic polymer fragments — including polyethylene and silicone — in Mediterranean seawater that had previously escaped conventional analysis. These sub-micron polymer fragments represent a previously unmeasured fraction of plastic pollution that could have significant environmental and health implications.
NMR-Based Quantification of Microplastics and Their Degradation Products in Environmental Water Samples
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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.
Applicability of NMR spectroscopy to quantify microplastics across varying concentrations in polymer mixtures
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Quantitative NMR spectroscopy was evaluated as a method for measuring synthetic polymers in mixed microplastic samples at low concentrations, finding it feasible but constrained by overlapping signals and solvent limitations, offering a cost-efficient alternative to spectroscopic methods for certain polymer mixture analyses.
High-resolution NMR spectroscopic approaches to quantify PET microplastics pollution in environmental freshwater samples
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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.
Microplastic quantification in environmental samples with complex organic matrices by diffusion NMR
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Researchers applied diffusion NMR spectroscopy to quantify microplastics in environmental samples with complex organic matrices, demonstrating the technique's capacity to characterize polymer types in difficult real-world sample conditions where existing methods fall short.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.