Identifying microplastic litter with Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A first approach

The broad diversity of microplastic litter requires a selection of analytical techniques to reliably determine the particle's chemical composition. This study demonstrates that Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) can identify microplastic particles based on their spectral fingerprints....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2021-10, Vol.171, p.112789, Article 112789
Main Authors: Sommer, C., Schneider, L.M., Nguyen, J., Prume, J.A., Lautze, K., Koch, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical methods
Chemical composition
Environmental studies
Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
Lasers
Litter
Microparticles
Microplastic
Microplastics
Plastic debris
Plastic identification
Plastic pollution
Plastics
Polymers
Sediment sample
Spectra
Spectroscopy
Spectrum analysis
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Summary:The broad diversity of microplastic litter requires a selection of analytical techniques to reliably determine the particle's chemical composition. This study demonstrates that Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) can identify microplastic particles based on their spectral fingerprints. By studying the spectral features of polymer reference spectra, microplastic litter can be distinguished from non-plastic materials. The results show that LIBS can be used as a fast in-situ technique for pre-characterization of the microparticle's material and is a possible tool for environmental studies on microplastics. •Spectroscopic identification approach for microplastics.•The study shows that LIBS is a possible characterization method for microplastics.•PA, PE, PP, PVC, PET, PC, and PS bulk samples were analyzed, compared with 14 non-plastic samples, and ultimately classified.•45 microparticles were analyzed, 29 of which were microplastics.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112789