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Characterization and quantitation of polyolefin microplastics in personal-care products using high-temperature gel-permeation chromatography
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Researchers developed a method using high-temperature gel-permeation chromatography to detect and quantify polyolefin microplastics — the most common type — in personal care products. Reliable quantification methods for microplastics in consumer products are essential for understanding how much plastic enters the environment through everyday product use and disposal.
In recent years, the development of reliable methods for the quantitation of microplastics in different samples, including evaluating the particles' adverse effects in the marine environment, has become a great concern. Because polyolefins are the most prevalent type of polymer in personal-care products containing microplastics, this study presents a novel approach for their quantitation. The method is suitable for aqueous and hydrocarbon-based products, and includes a rapid sample clean-up involving twofold density separation and a subsequent quantitation with high-temperature gel-permeation chromatography. In contrast with previous procedures, both errors caused by weighing after insufficient separation of plastics and matrix and time-consuming visual sorting are avoided. In addition to reliable quantitative results, in this investigation a comprehensive characterization of the polymer particles isolated from the product matrix, covering size, shape, molecular weight distribution and stabilization, is provided. Results for seven different personal-care products are presented. Recoveries of this method were in the range of 92-96 %.
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