Challenges in Microplastics identification is one Detection method enough

Long-term accumulation and fragmentation of plastic waste in ecosystems is currently a global subject of scientific and social concern. The combination of mechanical abrasion with degradation by UV radiation, and oxidation leads to the formation of small plastic particles (size less than 5 mm) which are not only distributed in oceanic and costal water, but also in sediments and terrestrial compartment. Since the contamination of the environment with plastic particles became emerging issue, an increasing trend towards investigating and controlling the MP pollution of the environment can be observed worldwide. Nonetheless, the reliable methodology that would facilitate and automate the monitoring of MP is still missing. Aiming at the selection of practical and standardized methods we present here a critical comparison of two vibrational spectroscopies, Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and two extraction methods: thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS) and liquid extraction with subsequent size exclusion chromatography (SEC) using a soil (reference material) with known contents of PE, PP, PS and PET. The results are compared in terms of the measurements time, technique handling, detection limits and requirement for sample preparation. The comparison of Raman and FTIR spectra provides broader understanding of the polymeric origin of the analysed particles. Furthermore, at the level of individual particle, Raman imaging yields additional information on the stage of the polymer degradation and contamination on the surface. On the other hand, by applying the thermal and liquid extraction methods the fast and quantitative analysis of MP content is possible. Therefore, to establish reliable, standardized detection methods a combination of several parallel approaches should be considered.