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A Scientific Approach to the Occurrence, Isolation, and Characterization of Existing Microplastic Pollution in the Marine Environment—a Review
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This review systematically covers the sources, types, sampling techniques, and characterization methods for marine microplastics, detailing how FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and thermal analysis are used to identify and quantify these particles. Understanding these standardized methodologies is foundational for assessing how microplastics accumulate in marine food chains and ultimately reach human consumers.
Microplastics constituting of particles less than 5 mm in size are inevitable in water, soil, and biota in recent years. They are either manufactured (primary) or are a result of the degradation of plastic litter which produces smaller particles (secondary). Considering the prevailing microplastics pollution, the current review focuses on the health hazards these tiny pollutants create and also the types, and sources of microplastics along with the problems associated with it. Collection of microplastics from water is undertaken employing plankton or Neuston nets often used for sampling with appropriate mesh size. Subsequently, microplastics are further processed through density separation or filtration which are dependent on the type of sample. The sample extracted are then analyzed through various spectroscopic methods like FTIR and Raman that are used for elemental analysis and thermal methods like DSC and Pyrolysis-GCMS studies are performed, to evaluate the type of microplastics and their quantification thereof.
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A standardized universal sampling protocol for pelagic microplastics is proposed to generate qualitative and quantitative data that can be meaningfully compared across ocean regions. Harmonizing collection and characterization methods is a prerequisite for building the global dataset needed to track microplastic pollution trends over time.
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