Snow/Airborne Microplastics in the Urban Area: Identification, Physiochemical Characterization and Trace Quantification

Abstract:

In this work, microplastics were detected in the urban precipitates in Montreal. A growing number of techniques have been used on microplastic characterization, for example, thermos-gravimetric mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman Spectroscopy. However, technical challenges related to particle size and interferences in complex environmental matrices limit their applications in ambient environment. Moreover, trace quantification of environmental microplastic contaminants has not been well established, precluding direct measurement, without pre-sampling treatment. This work focuses on both qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastic contaminants and their behaviors in the environment. In addition, the sources of these plastics and their migration pathways will be discussed. Urban snow was analyzed with multiple instruments in this work, including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The types and amount of microplastics in the urban precipitates was determined, to provide further scientific insights for the assessment of the roles of anthropogenic particles in the urban area.