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Extraction and quantification of polystyrene nanoplastics from biological samples
Pei Li1, Caijiao He2, Daohui Lin3
1Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Hwa Mei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo, 315010, China.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|September 29, 2022
Summary
A new method accurately quantifies nanoplastics (NPs) in biological samples using alkaline digestion, cloud point extraction, and SP-ICP-MS. This approach enables reliable analysis of NPs in complex environmental matrices.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Accurate quantification of nanoplastics (NPs) in biological samples is challenging due to complex organic matrices.
- Existing methods struggle with sensitivity and specificity in complex biological environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel method for extracting and quantifying polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics (NPs) from biological samples.
- To establish a sensitive and efficient approach for NP analysis in complex matrices.
Main Methods:
- Extraction involved alkaline digestion (25% tetramethylammonium hydroxide), centrifugation, and cloud point extraction (CPE).
- Quantification utilized gold nanoparticle labeling and single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS).
- Method validation included spiking experiments in bacteria, algae, nematodes, and earthworms, and analysis of exposed nematodes.
Main Results:
- Optimized alkaline digestion and CPE effectively purified and enriched PS NPs (100 and 500 nm) with various surface modifications.
- Gold nanoparticle labeling efficiency was enhanced by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.
- Good recovery rates (65-122%) and a low limit of detection (3.7 × 10^7 particles g^-1) were achieved.
Conclusions:
- The developed method provides efficient and sensitive extraction and quantification of nanoplastics in biological samples.
- This approach is valuable for environmental behavior and toxicity studies of NPs.
- The method demonstrates applicability across diverse biological matrices and NP characteristics.
