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Rapid Identification of Beached Marine Plastics Pellets Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A Promising Tool for the Quantification of Coastal Pollution
Summary
Researchers applied laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy combined with chemometric analysis to rapidly identify and classify beached plastic pellets by polymer type, achieving over 80% accuracy and demonstrating its potential as a fast, field-deployable tool for coastal pollution monitoring.
The rapid identification of beached marine micro-plastics is essential for the determination of the source of pollution and for planning the most effective strategies for remediation. In this paper, we present the results obtained by applying the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique on a large sample of different kinds of plastics that can be found in a marine environment. The use of chemometric analytical tools allowed a rapid classification of the pellets with an accuracy greater than 80%. The LIBS spectrum and statistical tests proved their worth to quickly identify polymers, and in particular, to distinguish C-O from C-C backbone pellets, and PE from PP ones. In addition, the PCA analysis revealed a correlation between appearance (surface pellets roughness) and color (yellowing), as reported by other recent studies. The preliminary results on the analysis of metals accumulated on the surface of the pellets are also reported. The implication of these results is discussed in view of the possibility of frequent monitoring of the marine plastic pollution on the seacoast.