We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Innovative reference materials for method validation in microplastic analysis including interlaboratory comparison exercises
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed innovative reference materials for validating microplastic analysis methods, presenting interlaboratory comparison results that support quality assurance and standardization in the growing field of microplastic detection.
Reference materials (RMs) are vital tools in the validation of methods used to detect environmental pollutants. Microplastics, a relatively new environmental pollutant, require a variety of complex approaches to address their presence in environmental samples. Both interlaboratory comparison (ILC) studies and RMs are essential to support the validation of methods used in microplastic analysis. Presented here are results of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) performed on two types of candidate microplastic RMs: dissolvable gelatin capsules and soda tablets. These RMs have been used to support numerous international ILC studies in recent years (2019-2022). Dissolvable capsules containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS), in different size fractions from 50 to 1000 µm, were produced for one ILC study, obtaining relative standard deviation (RSD) from 0 to 24%. The larger size fraction allowed for manual addition of particles to the capsules, yielding 0% error and 100% recovery during QA/QC. Dissolvable capsules were replaced by soda tablets in subsequent ILC studies and recovery test exercises because they were found to be a more reliable carrier for microplastic RMs. Batches of soda tablets were produced containing different single and multiple polymer mixtures, i.e., PE, PET, PS, PVC, polypropylene (PP), and polycarbonate (PC), with RSD ranging from 8 to 21%. Lastly, soda tablets consisting of a mixture of PE, PVC, and PS (125-355 µm) were produced and used for recovery testing during pretreatment of environmental samples. These had an RSD of 9%. Results showed that soda tablets and capsules containing microplastics >50 µm could be produced with sufficient precision for internal recovery tests and external ILC studies. Further work is required to optimize this method for smaller microplastics (< 50 µm) because variation was found to be too large during QA/QC. Nevertheless, this approach represents a valuable solution addressing many of the challenges associated with validating microplastic analytical methods.
More Papers Like This
Preparation of a reference material for microplastics in water—evaluation of homogeneity
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a candidate reference material for microplastics in water and evaluated its homogeneity, finding it suitable for use in laboratory intercomparison studies and as a tool for validating microplastic analytical methods.
A novel proof of concept approach towards generating reference microplastic particles
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper presented a proof-of-concept approach for generating standardized reference microplastic particles to improve comparability across analytical methods. The lack of consistent reference materials has been a key barrier to producing reliable and comparable microplastic research data.
Interlaboratory Comparison Reveals State of the Art in Microplastic Detection and Quantification Methods
AI summary Read the abstract
An 84-laboratory interlaboratory comparison tested the accuracy of five established microplastic detection methods using standardized reference materials, revealing significant variability in results across labs and methods. The study highlights that standardization and harmonization of analytical procedures are urgently needed before microplastic measurement can be reliably compared across research groups.
Reference materials for microplastics in environmental matrices
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper discussed the development and use of reference materials for microplastic analysis in environmental matrices, addressing the urgent need for calibration standards to ensure comparable and reliable measurements across different laboratories. Standardized reference materials are a foundational requirement for credible, policy-relevant microplastic monitoring.
Analytical precision assessment for microplastic analyses
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated methods for assessing analytical precision in microplastic analysis through initial and continuing laboratory evaluations, establishing repeatability and reproducibility benchmarks to address the widely reported need for improved accuracy in microplastic measurement data.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.