title: Analysis of polyethylene microplastics in environmental samples, using a thermal decomposition method.
abstract: Small polymer particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm called microplastics find their way into the environment from polymer debris and industrial production. Therefore a method is needed to identify and quantify microplastics in various environmental samples to generate reliable concentration values. Such concentration values, i.e. quantitative results, are necessary for an assessment of microplastic in environmental media. This was achieved by thermal extraction in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), connected to a solid-phase adsorber. These adsorbers were subsequently analysed by thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TDS-GC-MS). In comparison to other chromatographic methods, like pyrolyse gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), the relatively high sample masses in TGA (about 200 times higher than used in Py-GC-MS) analysed here enable the measurement of complex matrices that are not homogenous on a small scale. Through the characteristic decomposition products known for every kind of polymer it is possible to identify and even to quantify polymer particles in various matrices. Polyethylene (PE), one of the most important representatives for microplastics, was chosen as an example for identification and quantification.
authors.affiliation: BAM Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dümichen
authors.affiliation: BAM Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne-Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Barthel
authors.affiliation: BAM Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: ulrike.braun@bam.de.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: UBA Umweltbundesamt, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau, German.
authors.forename: Claus G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Bannick
authors.affiliation: UBA Umweltbundesamt, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau, German; Technical University of Berlin, Water Urban Area, Strasse des 17 Juni, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Berlin, Water Urban Area, Strasse des 17 Juni, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jekel
authors.affiliation: Beuth University of Applied Sciences, Luxemburger Straße 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senz
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D020959:Polyethylene
keywords: Evolved gas analysis; Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy; Identification and quantification of polymers; Microplastic; Thermogravimetric analysis