Analysis of microplastics in drinking water and other clean water samples with micro-Raman and micro-infrared spectroscopy: minimum requirements and best practice guidelines

Microplastics are a widespread contaminant found not only in various natural habitats, but also in drinking waters. With spectroscopic methods, the polymer type, number, size and size distribution as well as the shape of microplastic particles and their abundance in waters can be determined, which is of great relevance to toxicological studies. Methods used in studies so far show a huge diversity regarding experimental setups and often a lack of certain quality assurance aspects. To overcome these problems, this consensus paper of 12 analytical laboratories and institutions from all over Europe, dealing with microplastic particle identification and quantification with spectroscopic methods, gives guidance towards harmonized microplastic particle analysis in clean waters. The aims of this paper are to i) improve the reliability of microplastics analysis, ii) facilitate and improve the planning of sample preparation and microplastic detection, iii) provide a better understanding regarding the evaluation of already existing studies, make an important step towards harmonization of microplastic particle analysis in clean waters and thus, allow the comparability of results obtained in different studies by using similar or harmonized methods. Clean waters, for the purpose of this paper, comprise all waters with low matrix content, in particular drinking water, tap and bottled water, but also other water types, such as clean fresh waters.

SCHYMANSKI Darena;  OSSMANN Barbara;  BENISMAIL Nizar;  BOUKERMA Kada;  DALLMANN Gerald;  VON DER ESCH Elisabeth;  FISCHER Dieter;  FISCHER Franziska;  GILLILAND Douglas;  GLAS Karl;  HOFMANN Thomas;  KÄPPLER Andrea;  LACORTE Silvia;  MARCO Julie;  EL RAKWE Maria;  WEISSER Jana;  WITZIG Cordula;  ZUMBÜLTE Nicole;  IVLEVA Natalia; 

2021-11-03

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

JRC121909

1618-2642 (online),   

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00216-021-03498-y,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC121909,   

10.1007/s00216-021-03498-y (online),