Development of a solubility parameter calculation-based method as a complementary tool to traditional techniques for indoor dust microplastic determination and risk assessment.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-5-2023
Original Citation
Song S,
Cai L,
Liu Y,
Peng Z,
Liu C,
Jiao H,
Li P,
Liu Q,
Yu M,
Zhou T,
Zhang Q,
Hollert H,
Zhao X,
Jiang G.
Development of a solubility parameter calculation-based method as a complementary tool to traditional techniques for indoor dust microplastic determination and risk assessment. Journal of hazardous materials. 2023; 459():132189
Keywords
JMG
ISSN
1873-3336
PMID
37557042
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132189
Grant
This work was jointly supported by the Fundamental Research Funds of National Institute of Metrology, China (No. AKY1720), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21806158), and National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2019YFF0216902).
Abstract
Herein, a method based on solubility parameter calculation was first used to analyze microplastics in indoor dust. The limit of quantification (LOQ) reached 0.2 mg/g, and the result of reference material SRM 2585 (n = 3) was 14.8 mg/g ± 1.8 %, suggesting satisfying sensitivity and precision. Recoveries of spiking experiments were > 80 % with no obvious matrix interferences observed, except ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) MPs. Further, 69 indoor dust samples were analyzed to verify the method and to assess exposure scenarios for graduate students in Tianjin, China. EPDM was identified in an indoor environment for the first time as the second most widely detected type after PET in this work. The mass-based result is complementary to the outcomes from thermogravimetric analysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and laser direct infrared imaging. Significant correlations were found between total organic carbon (TOC), microplastics, and BDE-209 concentrations, indicating microplastics important contaminant vectors in indoor dust. Dormitory stays and PET contributed the most to health risks among the three exposure scenarios and detected four polymers, respectively. This work provides an approach with the potential for the standardized determination of microplastics in complex environmental matrices and reveals exposure characteristics of indoor dust microplastics.