Policy Brief
Guidelines for Analytical Methods of Plastics
START
Summary
Plastics contamination in environmental and biological matrices is a growing concern due to its potential ecological and human health impacts. The reliability and comparability of analytical results depend on standardized sampling techniques (e.g. spatial and temporal resolution) and analytical and handling methods that define key parameters such as limits of detection (LoD) and analytical blanks. This policy brief outlines key challenges in establishing harmonized analytical protocols and provides recommendations to improve the robustness and reproducibility of plastic sampling and analysis.
Description of the Problem
Plastics (macro, micro, and nanoplastics) are found everywhere in the environment – in water, soil, air, and biological tissues. Each matrix presents unique challenges for extraction and analysis, necessitating tailored methodologies.
+ info
Policy Challenges
Lack of Standardization for Data
Background Contamination
The absence of guidelines and best practices, harmonised and adaptable, with some critical parameters to be considered for sampling, identifying, and quantifying microplastics leads to inconsistencies across studies. Variations in sample collection, preparation, and analysis hinder the comparability of data and the establishment of global baselines (Barceló, 2024).
Analytical procedures for micro and nano plastics are highly susceptible to contamination from ambient microplastics present in laboratory environments.
More
More
Regulatory Gaps
Diversity of analytical techniques
Existing European environmental regulations do not fully address recommended protocols for plastic analysis, leading to difficulties in compliance and enforcement.
Different analytical techniques (e.g., spectroscopy, chromatography, and microscopy) use varying detection limits and quantification approaches, leading to a lack of comparability in reported data.
MORE
Policy
Recommendations
Harmonize Sampling and Analytical Protocols: Develop internationally recognized guidelines for the identification and quantification of plastics in different matrices, integrating best practices from existing analytical methods. Establish a minimum threshold for the detection and quantification of plastics in different matrices, considering method-specific capabilities and environmental relevance.
Promote Interlaboratory Comparisons and Development of Reference Materials: Encourage proficiency testing and collaborative studies to evaluate the performance of different methodologies and improve result consistency. Interlaboratory comparisons for validating analytical methods require a standardized reference material with a uniform matrix, therefore, the development of matrix reference materials for plastic analysis should be supported.
Strengthen Regulatory Frameworks: Update environmental monitoring and risk assessment legislation with the scientific community's latest recommendations for plastic analysis, ensuring regulatory alignment and effective policymaking.
+ info
Main
References
Artículos en revistas indexadas
Barceló, D. (2024). Microplastics in the environment: analytical chemistry methods, sorption materials, risks and sustainable solutions. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 416, 3479–3485.
Hale, R.C. (2017). Analytical challenges associated with the determination of microplastics in the environment. Analytical Methods 9(9), 1326–1327.
Kusch, P. (2022). Challenges in the Analysis of Micro- and Nanoplastics. In: Rocha-Santos, T., Costa, M.F., Mouneyrac, C. (eds) Handbook of Microplastics in the Environment. Springer, Cham. pp 477–501.
LABPLAS Research
The development of a sampling strategy for plastics in the environment is critical for plastic governance as it provides the scientific basis for informed decision-making, regulatory frameworks, and policy development. The LABPLAS Project has developed a plastics sampling strategy for Water samples, Sediment, Atmospheric deposition and Biota which intends the harmonisation of sampling methods to ensure comparable techniques across plastic sampling.
An example of a unified approach for assessing plastic pollution in a specific environment
The LABPLAS Project has collected samples for small microplastics (10-1000 micron) from the North Sea, including the Elbe and Thames Rivers basins, as well as from the Mero-Barcés river basin. In freshwater, samples were collected from 2-3 distinct environments (▷ rural, urban, and estuarine), ensuring good spatial coverage of the North Sea (▷ from the Thames estuary to the Elbe estuary). All samples were collected using a standardized method, employing the same sampling tool (▷ pump equipped with a 10-micron filter). Sampling across all locations was conducted almost simultaneously (▷ month-wise). Sampling containers were prepared uniformly. Samples were processed and prepared for analysis utilizing the same analytical technique to identify and characterise microplastics.
+ info
FOLLOW US!
ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA channels
Click on the icons of the documents to discover the legislations.
Relevance to Legislation
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Restriction Proposal on Microplastics (2023). Establishes regulatory measures for microplastic release, emphasizing the need for harmonized detection methods.
EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC). Requires standardized monitoring of marine litter, including plastics, necessitating reliable analytical techniques.
US EPA Method 3510C (Solid-Phase Extraction of Organic Analytes from Aqueous Samples). Includes considerations for LoD and contamination control relevant to plastic analysis.
UNEP Global Plastics Treaty (Upcoming). Aims to regulate plastic pollution with a focus on establishing science-based monitoring and assessment protocols.
For example, detecting and characterizing nano-plastics require in particular highly sensitive instrumentation capable of identifying particles at the nanoscale. The diversity of analytical tools with different sensitivities and detection limits results in the underreporting of smaller plastic particles. Advancements in technologies such as thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) are being explored to enhance detection capabilities (Kusch, 2022), however, variability in instrument sensitivity influences the LoD, requiring harmonized criteria to ensure comparability of results.
For instance, the presence of organic matter in soil or biota can interfere with detection techniques, requiring additional sample preparation steps. The use of different analytical methods has led to significant variability in reported concentrations and composition. Factors such as background contamination, instrumental sensitivity, and laboratory-specific procedures impact data quality. Establishing clear guidelines to overcome common sampling and analytical challenges is critical to ensure the accuracy and comparability of results across different studies and regulatory frameworks.
Adapted from Sarkar, S., et al. (2023). Microplastic Pollution: Chemical Characterization and Impact on Wildlife. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20(3), 1745
This lack of standardization complicates efforts to assess the true extent of plastic contamination and to develop effective mitigation strategies. Establishing harmonized protocols and quality assurance measures is critical to producing reliable and comparable data.
Airborne particles, equipment, and even clothing can introduce extraneous plastics into samples and analytical blanks, leading to false positives or inflated concentration readings, affecting the reliability of measurements (Hale et al. 2017).
Policy Brief on Guidelines for Analytical Methods of Plastics
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Transcript
Policy Brief
Guidelines for Analytical Methods of Plastics
START
Summary
Plastics contamination in environmental and biological matrices is a growing concern due to its potential ecological and human health impacts. The reliability and comparability of analytical results depend on standardized sampling techniques (e.g. spatial and temporal resolution) and analytical and handling methods that define key parameters such as limits of detection (LoD) and analytical blanks. This policy brief outlines key challenges in establishing harmonized analytical protocols and provides recommendations to improve the robustness and reproducibility of plastic sampling and analysis.
Description of the Problem
Plastics (macro, micro, and nanoplastics) are found everywhere in the environment – in water, soil, air, and biological tissues. Each matrix presents unique challenges for extraction and analysis, necessitating tailored methodologies.
+ info
Policy Challenges
Lack of Standardization for Data
Background Contamination
The absence of guidelines and best practices, harmonised and adaptable, with some critical parameters to be considered for sampling, identifying, and quantifying microplastics leads to inconsistencies across studies. Variations in sample collection, preparation, and analysis hinder the comparability of data and the establishment of global baselines (Barceló, 2024).
Analytical procedures for micro and nano plastics are highly susceptible to contamination from ambient microplastics present in laboratory environments.
More
More
Regulatory Gaps
Diversity of analytical techniques
Existing European environmental regulations do not fully address recommended protocols for plastic analysis, leading to difficulties in compliance and enforcement.
Different analytical techniques (e.g., spectroscopy, chromatography, and microscopy) use varying detection limits and quantification approaches, leading to a lack of comparability in reported data.
MORE
Policy
Recommendations
Harmonize Sampling and Analytical Protocols: Develop internationally recognized guidelines for the identification and quantification of plastics in different matrices, integrating best practices from existing analytical methods. Establish a minimum threshold for the detection and quantification of plastics in different matrices, considering method-specific capabilities and environmental relevance. Promote Interlaboratory Comparisons and Development of Reference Materials: Encourage proficiency testing and collaborative studies to evaluate the performance of different methodologies and improve result consistency. Interlaboratory comparisons for validating analytical methods require a standardized reference material with a uniform matrix, therefore, the development of matrix reference materials for plastic analysis should be supported. Strengthen Regulatory Frameworks: Update environmental monitoring and risk assessment legislation with the scientific community's latest recommendations for plastic analysis, ensuring regulatory alignment and effective policymaking.
+ info
Main
References
Artículos en revistas indexadas
Barceló, D. (2024). Microplastics in the environment: analytical chemistry methods, sorption materials, risks and sustainable solutions. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 416, 3479–3485.
Hale, R.C. (2017). Analytical challenges associated with the determination of microplastics in the environment. Analytical Methods 9(9), 1326–1327.
Kusch, P. (2022). Challenges in the Analysis of Micro- and Nanoplastics. In: Rocha-Santos, T., Costa, M.F., Mouneyrac, C. (eds) Handbook of Microplastics in the Environment. Springer, Cham. pp 477–501.
LABPLAS Research
The development of a sampling strategy for plastics in the environment is critical for plastic governance as it provides the scientific basis for informed decision-making, regulatory frameworks, and policy development. The LABPLAS Project has developed a plastics sampling strategy for Water samples, Sediment, Atmospheric deposition and Biota which intends the harmonisation of sampling methods to ensure comparable techniques across plastic sampling.
An example of a unified approach for assessing plastic pollution in a specific environment
The LABPLAS Project has collected samples for small microplastics (10-1000 micron) from the North Sea, including the Elbe and Thames Rivers basins, as well as from the Mero-Barcés river basin. In freshwater, samples were collected from 2-3 distinct environments (▷ rural, urban, and estuarine), ensuring good spatial coverage of the North Sea (▷ from the Thames estuary to the Elbe estuary). All samples were collected using a standardized method, employing the same sampling tool (▷ pump equipped with a 10-micron filter). Sampling across all locations was conducted almost simultaneously (▷ month-wise). Sampling containers were prepared uniformly. Samples were processed and prepared for analysis utilizing the same analytical technique to identify and characterise microplastics.
+ info
FOLLOW US!
ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA channels
Click on the icons of the documents to discover the legislations.
Relevance to Legislation
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Restriction Proposal on Microplastics (2023). Establishes regulatory measures for microplastic release, emphasizing the need for harmonized detection methods. EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC). Requires standardized monitoring of marine litter, including plastics, necessitating reliable analytical techniques. US EPA Method 3510C (Solid-Phase Extraction of Organic Analytes from Aqueous Samples). Includes considerations for LoD and contamination control relevant to plastic analysis. UNEP Global Plastics Treaty (Upcoming). Aims to regulate plastic pollution with a focus on establishing science-based monitoring and assessment protocols.
For example, detecting and characterizing nano-plastics require in particular highly sensitive instrumentation capable of identifying particles at the nanoscale. The diversity of analytical tools with different sensitivities and detection limits results in the underreporting of smaller plastic particles. Advancements in technologies such as thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) are being explored to enhance detection capabilities (Kusch, 2022), however, variability in instrument sensitivity influences the LoD, requiring harmonized criteria to ensure comparability of results.
For instance, the presence of organic matter in soil or biota can interfere with detection techniques, requiring additional sample preparation steps. The use of different analytical methods has led to significant variability in reported concentrations and composition. Factors such as background contamination, instrumental sensitivity, and laboratory-specific procedures impact data quality. Establishing clear guidelines to overcome common sampling and analytical challenges is critical to ensure the accuracy and comparability of results across different studies and regulatory frameworks.
Adapted from Sarkar, S., et al. (2023). Microplastic Pollution: Chemical Characterization and Impact on Wildlife. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20(3), 1745
This lack of standardization complicates efforts to assess the true extent of plastic contamination and to develop effective mitigation strategies. Establishing harmonized protocols and quality assurance measures is critical to producing reliable and comparable data.
Airborne particles, equipment, and even clothing can introduce extraneous plastics into samples and analytical blanks, leading to false positives or inflated concentration readings, affecting the reliability of measurements (Hale et al. 2017).