Characterization and Quantification of Microplastics by Spectroscopy Techniques

Colombo C.V.; Forero-López A.D.; Rimondino G.N.; De-la-Torre G.E. · Microplastics Analysis and Characterization: Assessing Environmental Impact (2026) · DOI: 10.1002/9781119906612.ch10

Resumen

Microplastics (MPs) exhibit unique behavior in aquatic environments due to their physicochemical and structural properties, such as size, crystallinity, chemical composition, shape, surface charge, and stability. Therefore, reliable spectroscopic techniques are essential for quantifying, identifying, and characterizing them. Various spectroscopic techniques are often used in combination to gather comprehensive information on the multiple physicochemical properties of MPs to understand weathering effects and explore their interaction mechanisms with other pollutants. Similarly, combining these spectroscopic techniques with modern microscopy provides complementary insights into the nature, behavior, and surface chemistry of these micromaterials. This chapter focuses on commonly used spectroscopic techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry, for characterizing and quantifying MPs and understanding their environmental and biological impacts. The basic operating principles, recent advancements, advantages, technical challenges, and limitations of each technique in MP characterization are discussed.

Instituciones: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola