Determination of Environmental Micro(Nano)Plastics by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Wu，Pengfei1,2,3; Tang，Yuanyuan1,3; Cao，Guodong2; Li，Jiangpeng1,3; Wang，Siqing1,3; Chang，Xinyi1,3; Dang，Miao1; Jin，Hangbiao4; Zheng，Chunmiao1,3; Cai，Zongwei2

2020-11-03

10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01928

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY   影响因子和分区

0003-2700

1520-6882

Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are widely acknowledged as global environmental threat while determination methods for MNPs are still lacking and becoming a growing concern. This study provides a novel method for MNPs identification/quantification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Factors affecting the measurement were optimized, including laser energy, matrix (M), analyte (A), cationization agent (C), and MAC volume ratio. Under the optimal conditions, the peaks representative of polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were identified, and the mass differences were consistent with the molecular weight of the corresponding oligomer. A quantitative correlation was built between normalized signal intensity and ln[polymer concentration] with a correlation coefficient above 0.96 for low-molecular-weight polymers and 0.98 for high-molecular-weight polymers. Furthermore, two types of environmental MNP samples were prepared, including aviation cup particles as fresh plastics and aged MNPs extracted from river sediment. By using MALDI-TOF MS, the PS-related MNPs (in both aviation cup and sediment) consisted of CHand CHO oligomers, while the PET-related MNPs (only found in sediment) were identified with repeated units of CHOand CHO. According to the quantitative correlation curve, the contents of PS and PET MNPs were quantified as 8.56 ± 0.04 and 28.71 ± 0.20 mg·kg, respectively, in the collected sediment. This study is the first attempt to propose a quantification method with the employment of MALDI-TOF MS for aged MNPs analysis in environmental samples, which can not only supply an effective method for MNP analysis but also inspire future studies on the in situ distribution and transformation of MNPs in environmental and biological samples.

SCI ; EI

英语

NI论文

第一 ; 通讯

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)[41977329][21707063] ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control[2017B030301012]

Chemistry

Chemistry, Analytical

WOS:000589246100011

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

20205109646535

Molecular weight ; Polyethylene terephthalates ; Desorption ; Elastomers ; Plastic bottles ; Inductively coupled plasma ; Mass spectrometry ; Sediments

Soil Mechanics and Foundations:483 ; Packaging Materials:694.2 ; Chemistry:801 ; Chemical Operations:802.3 ; Organic Polymers:815.1.1 ; Polymer Products:817.1 ; Elastomers:818.2 ; Atomic and Molecular Physics:931.3 ; Plasma Physics:932.3

CHEMISTRY

2-s2.0-85097651886

Scopus

1.Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control,School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
2.State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis,Department of Chemistry,Hong Kong Baptist University,Hong Kong,999077,Hong Kong
3.State Environ. Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control,School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
4.Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province,College of Environment,Zhejiang University of Technology,Hangzhou, Zhejiang,310014,China

Wu，Pengfei,Tang，Yuanyuan,Cao，Guodong,et al. Determination of Environmental Micro(Nano)Plastics by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry[J]. ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY,2020,92(21):14346-14356.

Wu，Pengfei.,Tang，Yuanyuan.,Cao，Guodong.,Li，Jiangpeng.,Wang，Siqing.,...&Cai，Zongwei.(2020).Determination of Environmental Micro(Nano)Plastics by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY,92(21),14346-14356.

Wu，Pengfei,et al."Determination of Environmental Micro(Nano)Plastics by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry".ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 92.21(2020):14346-14356.