2026-10-06T08:44:20Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33471742 2026-09-29T23:45:13Z category_25726 portal_12 item_type_5 month_year_09_2026

Mozhgan Panji: Evaluating Oxidative Digestion Methods for Reliable Airborne Microplastic Analysis Mozhgan Panji (19435306) Patricia Cabedo Sanz (6246698) Naresh Singhal (1209240) Joel Rindelaub (4087300) Air pollution processes and air quality measurement Airborne microplastics Oxidative digestion Pyrolysis–GC/MS ATR-FTIR SEM <p dir="ltr">Reliable airborne microplastic analysis requires effective removal of organic matter while preserving polymer integrity and minimising analytical interferences. This study evaluates three oxidative digestion protocols for the pre-treatment of small reference microplastics: 30% H₂O₂ at 70°C for 24 h, 30% H₂O₂ at 55 °C for 48 h, and Fenton oxidation. Eight polymer types were assessed for chemical and morphological stability using ATR-FTIR and SEM, while quantitative method development was performed using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). SEM showed no discernible surface alterations following digestion, whereas FTIR indicated limited chemical changes in PVC and polyurethane. Py-GC/MS method development also demonstrated substantial matrix-related effects on the response of anthracene-d₁₀ used as an internal standard, particularly in the presence of polymer mixtures and quartz filter material. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating both digestion-induced polymer changes and matrix effects when developing reliable quantitative methods for atmospheric microplastic analysis.</p> 2026-09-29T23:45:13Z Image Poster 10.17608/k6.auckland.33471742.v2 https://figshare.com/articles/poster/Evaluating_Oxidative_Digestion_Methods_for_Reliable_Airborne_Microplastic_Analysis/33471742 CC BY 4.0