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Witzig CS, Földi C, Wörle K, Habermehl P, Pittroff M, Müller YK, Lauschke T, Fiener P, Dierkes G, Freier KP, Zumbülte N. When Good Intentions Go Bad-False Positive Microplastic Detection Caused by Disposable Gloves. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:12164-12172. [PMID: 32882126 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Apart from being considered a potential threat to ecosystems and human health, the ubiquity of microplastics presents analytical challenges. There is a high risk of sample contamination during sampling, sample preparation, and analysis. In this study, the potential of sample contamination or misinterpretation due to substances associated with disposable laboratory gloves or reagents used during sample preparation was investigated. Leachates of 10 different types of disposable gloves were analyzed using Raman microspectroscopy (μ-Raman), Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (μ-FTIR), and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (pyr-GC/MS). There appeared to be polyethylene (PE) in almost all investigated glove leachates and with all applied methods. Closer investigations revealed that the leachates contained long-chain compounds such as stearates or fatty acids, which were falsely identified as PE by the applied analytical methods. Sodium dodecyl sulfate, which is commonly applied in microplastic research during sample preparation, may also be mistaken for PE. Therefore, μ-Raman, μ-FTIR, and pyr-GC/MS were further tested for their capability to distinguish among PE, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and stearates. It became clear that stearates and sodium dodecyl sulfates can cause substantial overestimation of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cordula S Witzig
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Corinna Földi
- Department G2, Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (German Federal Institute of Hydrology), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Katharina Wörle
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt (Bavarian Environment Agency), Demollstrasse 31, 82407 Wielenbach, Germany
| | - Peter Habermehl
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Marco Pittroff
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Yanina K Müller
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Tim Lauschke
- Department G2, Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (German Federal Institute of Hydrology), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Peter Fiener
- Institute of Geography, Augsburg University, Alter Postweg 118, 86135 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Georg Dierkes
- Department G2, Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (German Federal Institute of Hydrology), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Korbinian P Freier
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt (Bavarian Environment Agency), Demollstrasse 31, 82407 Wielenbach, Germany
| | - Nicole Zumbülte
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Strasse 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
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