Development and validation of an analytical pyrolysis method for detection of airborne polystyrene nanoparticles

Freja Hasager; Þuríður N. Björgvinsdóttir; Sofie F. Vinther; Antigoni Christofili; Eva R. Kjærgaard; Sarah S. Petters; Merete Bilde; Marianne Glasius

doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464622

Development and validation of an analytical pyrolysis method for detection of airborne polystyrene nanoparticles

Freja Hasager, Þuríður N. Björgvinsdóttir, Sofie F. Vinther, Antigoni Christofili, Eva R. Kjærgaard, Sarah S. Petters, Merete Bilde, Marianne Glasius^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Microplastic is ubiquitous in the environment. Recently it was discovered that microplastic (MP, 1 μm−5 mm) contamination is present in the atmosphere where it can be transported over long distances and introduced to remote pristine environments. Sources, concentration levels, and transportation pathways of MP are still associated with large uncertainties. The abundance of atmospheric MP increases with decreasing particle size, suggesting that nanoplastics (NP, <1μm) could be of considerable atmospheric relevance. Only few analytical methods are available for detection of nanosized plastic particles. Thermoanalytical techniques are independent of particle size and are thus a powerful tool for MP and NP analysis. Here we develop a method for analysis of polystyrene on the nanogram scale using pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Pyrolysis was performed using a slow temperature ramp, and analytes were cryofocused prior to injection. The mass spectrometer was operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. A lower limit of detection of 1±1 ng and a lower limit of quantification of 2±2 ng were obtained (for the trimer peak). The method was validated with urban [Formula presented] matrices of low (7 μg per sample) and high (53 μg per sample) aerosol mass loadings. The method performs well for low [Formula presented] loadings, whereas high [Formula presented] loadings seem to cause a matrix effect reducing the signal of polystyrene. This effect can be minimized by introducing a thermal desorption step prior to pyrolysis. The study provides a novel analysis method for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of PS on the nanogram scale in an aerosol matrix. Application of the method can be used to obtain concentration levels of polystyrene in atmospheric MP and NP. This is important in order to improve the understanding of the sources and sinks of MP and NP in the environment and thereby identify routes of exposure and uptake of this emerging contaminant.

Original language	English
Article number	464622
Journal	Journal of Chromatography A
Volume	1717
Number of pages	10
ISSN	0021-9673
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464622
Publication status	Published - 22 Feb 2024

Keywords

Atmospheric nanoplastics
Method development
Microplastics
Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry
Environmental Monitoring/methods
Pyrolysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis
Polystyrenes/analysis
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Nanoparticles/chemistry
Plastics/chemistry
Aerosols/analysis

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10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464622

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@article{888c633eca4147c69158108e87566e79,

title = "Development and validation of an analytical pyrolysis method for detection of airborne polystyrene nanoparticles",

abstract = "Microplastic is ubiquitous in the environment. Recently it was discovered that microplastic (MP, 1 μm−5 mm) contamination is present in the atmosphere where it can be transported over long distances and introduced to remote pristine environments. Sources, concentration levels, and transportation pathways of MP are still associated with large uncertainties. The abundance of atmospheric MP increases with decreasing particle size, suggesting that nanoplastics (NP, <1μm) could be of considerable atmospheric relevance. Only few analytical methods are available for detection of nanosized plastic particles. Thermoanalytical techniques are independent of particle size and are thus a powerful tool for MP and NP analysis. Here we develop a method for analysis of polystyrene on the nanogram scale using pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Pyrolysis was performed using a slow temperature ramp, and analytes were cryofocused prior to injection. The mass spectrometer was operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. A lower limit of detection of 1±1 ng and a lower limit of quantification of 2±2 ng were obtained (for the trimer peak). The method was validated with urban [Formula presented] matrices of low (7 μg per sample) and high (53 μg per sample) aerosol mass loadings. The method performs well for low [Formula presented] loadings, whereas high [Formula presented] loadings seem to cause a matrix effect reducing the signal of polystyrene. This effect can be minimized by introducing a thermal desorption step prior to pyrolysis. The study provides a novel analysis method for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of PS on the nanogram scale in an aerosol matrix. Application of the method can be used to obtain concentration levels of polystyrene in atmospheric MP and NP. This is important in order to improve the understanding of the sources and sinks of MP and NP in the environment and thereby identify routes of exposure and uptake of this emerging contaminant.",

keywords = "Atmospheric nanoplastics, Method development, Microplastics, Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry, Environmental Monitoring/methods, Pyrolysis, Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis, Polystyrenes/analysis, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Nanoparticles/chemistry, Plastics/chemistry, Aerosols/analysis",

author = "Freja Hasager and Bj{\"o}rgvinsd{\'o}ttir, {{\TH}ur{\'i}{\dh}ur N.} and Vinther, {Sofie F.} and Antigoni Christofili and Kj{\ae}rgaard, {Eva R.} and Petters, {Sarah S.} and Merete Bilde and Marianne Glasius",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s)",

year = "2024",

month = feb,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464622",

language = "English",

volume = "1717",

journal = "Journal of Chromatography A",

issn = "0021-9673",

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Development and validation of an analytical pyrolysis method for detection of airborne polystyrene nanoparticles. / Hasager, Freja ; Björgvinsdóttir, Þuríður N.; Vinther, Sofie F. et al.
In: Journal of Chromatography A, Vol. 1717, 464622, 22.02.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Development and validation of an analytical pyrolysis method for detection of airborne polystyrene nanoparticles

AU - Hasager, Freja

AU - Björgvinsdóttir, Þuríður N.

AU - Vinther, Sofie F.

AU - Christofili, Antigoni

AU - Kjærgaard, Eva R.

AU - Petters, Sarah S.

AU - Bilde, Merete

AU - Glasius, Marianne

PY - 2024/2/22

Y1 - 2024/2/22

N2 - Microplastic is ubiquitous in the environment. Recently it was discovered that microplastic (MP, 1 μm−5 mm) contamination is present in the atmosphere where it can be transported over long distances and introduced to remote pristine environments. Sources, concentration levels, and transportation pathways of MP are still associated with large uncertainties. The abundance of atmospheric MP increases with decreasing particle size, suggesting that nanoplastics (NP, <1μm) could be of considerable atmospheric relevance. Only few analytical methods are available for detection of nanosized plastic particles. Thermoanalytical techniques are independent of particle size and are thus a powerful tool for MP and NP analysis. Here we develop a method for analysis of polystyrene on the nanogram scale using pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Pyrolysis was performed using a slow temperature ramp, and analytes were cryofocused prior to injection. The mass spectrometer was operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. A lower limit of detection of 1±1 ng and a lower limit of quantification of 2±2 ng were obtained (for the trimer peak). The method was validated with urban [Formula presented] matrices of low (7 μg per sample) and high (53 μg per sample) aerosol mass loadings. The method performs well for low [Formula presented] loadings, whereas high [Formula presented] loadings seem to cause a matrix effect reducing the signal of polystyrene. This effect can be minimized by introducing a thermal desorption step prior to pyrolysis. The study provides a novel analysis method for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of PS on the nanogram scale in an aerosol matrix. Application of the method can be used to obtain concentration levels of polystyrene in atmospheric MP and NP. This is important in order to improve the understanding of the sources and sinks of MP and NP in the environment and thereby identify routes of exposure and uptake of this emerging contaminant.

AB - Microplastic is ubiquitous in the environment. Recently it was discovered that microplastic (MP, 1 μm−5 mm) contamination is present in the atmosphere where it can be transported over long distances and introduced to remote pristine environments. Sources, concentration levels, and transportation pathways of MP are still associated with large uncertainties. The abundance of atmospheric MP increases with decreasing particle size, suggesting that nanoplastics (NP, <1μm) could be of considerable atmospheric relevance. Only few analytical methods are available for detection of nanosized plastic particles. Thermoanalytical techniques are independent of particle size and are thus a powerful tool for MP and NP analysis. Here we develop a method for analysis of polystyrene on the nanogram scale using pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Pyrolysis was performed using a slow temperature ramp, and analytes were cryofocused prior to injection. The mass spectrometer was operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. A lower limit of detection of 1±1 ng and a lower limit of quantification of 2±2 ng were obtained (for the trimer peak). The method was validated with urban [Formula presented] matrices of low (7 μg per sample) and high (53 μg per sample) aerosol mass loadings. The method performs well for low [Formula presented] loadings, whereas high [Formula presented] loadings seem to cause a matrix effect reducing the signal of polystyrene. This effect can be minimized by introducing a thermal desorption step prior to pyrolysis. The study provides a novel analysis method for qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of PS on the nanogram scale in an aerosol matrix. Application of the method can be used to obtain concentration levels of polystyrene in atmospheric MP and NP. This is important in order to improve the understanding of the sources and sinks of MP and NP in the environment and thereby identify routes of exposure and uptake of this emerging contaminant.

KW - Atmospheric nanoplastics

KW - Method development

KW - Microplastics

KW - Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry

KW - Environmental Monitoring/methods

KW - Pyrolysis

KW - Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis

KW - Polystyrenes/analysis

KW - Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

KW - Nanoparticles/chemistry

KW - Plastics/chemistry

KW - Aerosols/analysis

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U2 - 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464622

DO - 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464622

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38309189

AN - SCOPUS:85183958954

SN - 0021-9673

VL - 1717

JO - Journal of Chromatography A

JF - Journal of Chromatography A

M1 - 464622

ER -

Development and validation of an analytical pyrolysis method for detection of airborne polystyrene nanoparticles

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