Not one-size-fits-all: µ-FTIR and pyrolysis GC-MS for complementary analysis of microplastics in eutrophic surface water

Abstract

This study reports large microplastics found in Lake Victoria through an analytical workflow that combines the complementary methods stereomicroscopy, micro-Fourier transform infrared (µ-FTIR) spectroscopy and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC-MS) for the quantification of 11 environmentally relevant microplastic polymers. Algae-rich surface water samples (n = 18) were trawled using a 0.3 mm manta net from Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake. Stereomicroscopy as a determinant analytical technique detected 191 particles, which were primarily blue fragments and fibres. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the dominant polymers identified by µ-FTIR. Pyr-GC-MS allowed the detection and quantification of microplastics (MPs) with LOD and LOQ of 0.01-14.7 µg and 0.03-49.1 µg. Polyethylene (0.058-0.34 µg/L), polypropylene (0.024 µg/L and 0.043 µg/L), nylon 6 (0.0051-0.064 µg/L), nylon 66 (0.0022-0.084 µg/L), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (0.0029-0.027 µg/L) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (0.0036 µg/L) were quantified. µ-FTIR was found to be suitable for the identification of the most abundant polymers in the 0.3-4.9 mm size range whereas Pyr-GC-MS afforded the quantification of seven polymers, most of which were not detected by µ-FTIR. This complementary workflow gave a wider perspective on MP loading, providing both polymer concentrations and physical characteristics (sizes, colours, forms and count) of the MPs.