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Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the analysis of polyethylene microplastics in
Viktória Parobková1, Daniel Holub1,2, Martin Kizovský3
1Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 656/123, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
People are exposed to microplastics (MPs) on a large scale in everyday life. However, it is not clear whether MPs can also be distributed and retained in certain tissues. Therefore, the development of analytical methods capable of detecting MPs in specific human organs/tissues is of utmost importance. In this study, the use and combination of spectroscopic techniques, namely Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), was tested for the detection of polyethylene (PE) MPs in human tonsils. Preliminary results showed that Raman microspectroscopy was able to detect MPs down to 1 μm in size and LIBS down to 10 μm. In the next step, human tonsils were spiked with PE MPs, and digested. The filtered particles were analyzed using Raman microspectroscopy and LIBS, and complemented by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results showed that Raman microspectroscopy could reliably detect PE MPs in spiked human tonsils, while LIBS and XRF served as a reference analytical method to characterize particles that could not be classified by Raman microspectroscopy for their non-organic origin. The results of this study, supported by a current feasibility study conducted on clinical samples, demonstrated the reliability and feasibility of this approach for monitoring MPs in biotic samples.
Insights
Researchers developed a new method to detect microplastics (MPs) in human tonsils using Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). This technique reliably identifies MPs in biological tissues, aiding in human health risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Toxicology
Background:
- Human exposure to microplastics (MPs) is widespread, yet their distribution and retention in specific human tissues remain unclear.
- Developing sensitive analytical methods for detecting MPs in human organs is crucial for understanding health risks.
- Polyethylene (PE) is a common microplastic polymer found in the environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of combined Raman microspectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for detecting polyethylene (PE) microplastics in human tonsils.
- To establish a reliable analytical approach for quantifying microplastic contamination in human tissues.
Main Methods:
- Raman microspectroscopy and LIBS were employed to detect PE MPs in human tonsils.
- Human tonsils were spiked with PE MPs, digested, and filtered for particle analysis.
- X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used as a complementary method for particle characterization.
Main Results:
- Raman microspectroscopy successfully detected PE MPs down to 1 μm in size.
- LIBS detected MPs down to 10 μm, serving as a reference method alongside XRF.
- The combined spectroscopic approach reliably identified PE MPs in spiked human tonsil samples.
Conclusions:
- The developed method combining Raman microspectroscopy and LIBS is reliable and feasible for detecting microplastics in human tonsils.
- This approach supports the monitoring of microplastic contamination in biotic samples and human tissues.
- Further studies on clinical samples confirmed the feasibility of this analytical strategy.
