Water-soluble polymers: Emerging contaminants detected, separated and quantified by a novel GPC/MALDI-TOF method

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Water-soluble polymers (WSPs) are widely used in industrial and consumer products, leading to environmental release via wastewater.
• Limited ecotoxicological data and analytical methods hinder understanding of WSP environmental fate and aquatic risk.
• Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a common WSP found in personal care products, with unknown environmental impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel analytical method for detecting, characterizing, and quantifying WSPs in complex matrices.
• To assess the method's efficacy in personal care products and environmental samples like wastewater.
• To address the knowledge gap regarding WSP environmental behavior and potential risks.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel analytical technique combining gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) for separation and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for quantification.
• Application of the GPC/MALDI-TOF MS method to a commercial personal care product (shaving gel) to quantify polyethylene glycol (PEG) content.
• Proof-of-concept analysis of a spiked wastewater influent sample to evaluate PEG extraction and separation from dissolved organic matter (DOM).

Main Results:

• Successful separation and accurate quantification of PEG in a shaving gel sample, determining its concentration at 1.62 wt%.
• Demonstrated extraction and separation of PEG from wastewater, revealing challenges like sorption and biodegradation affecting recovery (53% efficiency).
• Validated the GPC/MALDI-TOF MS method for WSP analysis in personal care products and highlighted its potential for environmental samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed GPC/MALDI-TOF MS method enables accurate quantification of WSPs like PEG in personal care products.
• Analysis of wastewater revealed significant challenges in WSP recovery due to environmental factors, necessitating further investigation.
• This method offers a powerful tool for future WSP monitoring in environmental matrices, supporting risk assessment for aquatic ecosystems.