Analysis of microplastics as emerging contaminants using single particle ICP-MS

Plastics are widely used in many products, electronics and packaging (foils, bottles, foams,
etc). Due to their physical formation, plastics often have high strength and are resistant
to corrosion. As the overall amount of plastics produced globally continues to increase,
so does the amount of waste produced. As a result of incorrect disposal of many plastic
products, pollution has become a major threat to the environment

A surprisingly large amount of the environmental contamination observed today arises
from less immediately obvious anthropogenic sources, such as rubber particles from tire
wear and other microscale plastic debris, which is then subsequently mobilized. A study
conducted in 2019 estimated the contribution of microplastic particles washed off by rain
into storm drains in the San Francisco Bay Area to exceed 300 times the amount of plastic
pollution that enters the environment through sewers and sewage plants

Find the Application Note in pdf here

Authors

Tomoko Vincent, Dhinesh Asogan,Daniel Kutscher

Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany