Pyrolysis-GCMS Analysis of Microplastics in the Air Atmosphere

Microplastics are now a global problem. They are tiny fragments shed during the degradation of larger pieces of plastic. They are light enough to be transported by the wind over large distances. Due to their small size, Microplastics (MPs) end up in all sorts of places, including the air we breathe and the water we drink. In this presentation, we demonstrate the study of microplastics (MPs) in the air atmosphere. The method requires very little sample preparation. The MPs were collected by passive sampling method in three different rooms. After 30 days, the analysis was carried out using the micro-furnace pyrolyzer to perform Flash Pyrolysis-Gas chromatography/ Mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Micro-furnace Py-GC/MS is an easy solid sample introduction technique that expands the application areas of GC/MS. It is easy to use and simple to operate. The solid samples can be analyzed as is without going through any solvent extraction steps. This fastens the workflow and reduces labor intensive. The data obtained were analyzed by using the F-search MPs library. The software created the calibration curve automatically, and quantification was done within minutes.