Current Methodology for Extraction, Separation, Identification, and Quantification of Microplastics in Terrestrial Systems
Résumé
Microplastic (MP) contamination is a current global problem in the environment and specifically in soils. Plastics enter the soils through multiple pathways, such as agricultural application, organic amendments from wastewater treatment plants, landfills, or industrial sources. This chapter provides a description of the current state of the analytical techniques used for the extraction, quantification, and identification of MP in soils. In this sense, the methodology for determination and quantification of MP is currently easier and much more developed for aqueous media than for soils, due to the difficulties affecting analytical methods for extraction and identification of MP in complex matrices such as soils. The procedures and processes needed to isolate MP from soils vary considerably among studies. Currently, there is no single method to isolate MP from soil. In general, the main techniques for MP separation from soil include sieving, density flotation, filtration, and digestion processes. Microplastics extracted from soil samples can be identified and quantified mainly by means of visual classification, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), spectroscopic techniques (Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), or Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS)), and thermoanalytical techniques (Thermal Extraction and Desorption Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (TED-GC/MS), Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS), and Thermogravimetric Analysis Mass Spectrometry (TGA-MS)), among others. The main advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are also discussed.