Greenness of analytical methods for isolation and identification of microplastics in environmental and food samples - A critical review

Dat Thanh Pham; Hee Jin Park; Dana Fahad M.S. Mohamed; Pil Gon Kim; Abhrajyoti Tarafdar; Jung Hwan Kwon

doi:10.1016/j.trac.2023.117263

Greenness of analytical methods for isolation and identification of microplastics in environmental and food samples - A critical review

Dat Thanh Pham
, Hee Jin Park
, Dana Fahad M.S. Mohamed
, Pil Gon Kim
, Abhrajyoti Tarafdar
, Jung Hwan Kwon^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Efforts to standardize microplastic extraction methods for environmental and food samples have often overlooked their environmental impact and sustainability. This study comprehensively reviews various analytical methods and assesses their sustainability using the Analytical GREEnness calculator. Toxic chemical usage was found to have the greatest impact, rendering in situ and chemical-free analysis the most sustainable method. Conversely, multi-step pretreatment involving chemical use was deemed the least sustainable. Selective sampling and micro/spectroscopy were identified as greener options than bulk sampling and thermal analysis, respectively. Magnetic/electrostatic separation has emerged as an optimal method for routine analysis, while solvent extraction is suitable for precise and extensive research purposes. For enhanced sustainability, it is crucial to replace, reduce, and reuse hazardous reagents. Additionally, promoting miniaturization, automation, and in situ imaging methods for routine monitoring of microplastics in environmental and food samples is essential for advancing green practices.

Original language	English
Article number	117263
Journal	TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry
Volume	167
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117263
Publication status	Published - 2023 Oct

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT) (No. RS-2023-00209242 ), by a grant “Risk assessment to prepare standards for protecting marine ecosystem” of Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries ( KIMST-20220383 ), and by the Korea Environment Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) through the “Development of methods measuring cumulative exposure to hazardous chemicals under the use of consumer products using passive samplers,” funded by the Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE) (No. 2021002970002).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Analytical GREEnness (AGREE)
Environment
food
Green analytical chemistry
Microplastic
Pretreatment
Sustainability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry
Spectroscopy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.trac.2023.117263

Cite this

@article{f68c8d4edcf74305b7af80cdc1b22815,

title = "Greenness of analytical methods for isolation and identification of microplastics in environmental and food samples - A critical review",

abstract = "Efforts to standardize microplastic extraction methods for environmental and food samples have often overlooked their environmental impact and sustainability. This study comprehensively reviews various analytical methods and assesses their sustainability using the Analytical GREEnness calculator. Toxic chemical usage was found to have the greatest impact, rendering in situ and chemical-free analysis the most sustainable method. Conversely, multi-step pretreatment involving chemical use was deemed the least sustainable. Selective sampling and micro/spectroscopy were identified as greener options than bulk sampling and thermal analysis, respectively. Magnetic/electrostatic separation has emerged as an optimal method for routine analysis, while solvent extraction is suitable for precise and extensive research purposes. For enhanced sustainability, it is crucial to replace, reduce, and reuse hazardous reagents. Additionally, promoting miniaturization, automation, and in situ imaging methods for routine monitoring of microplastics in environmental and food samples is essential for advancing green practices.",

keywords = "Analytical GREEnness (AGREE), Environment, food, Green analytical chemistry, Microplastic, Pretreatment, Sustainability",

author = "Pham, \{Dat Thanh\} and Park, \{Hee Jin\} and Mohamed, \{Dana Fahad M.S.\} and Kim, \{Pil Gon\} and Abhrajyoti Tarafdar and Kwon, \{Jung Hwan\}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT) (No. RS-2023-00209242 ), by a grant “Risk assessment to prepare standards for protecting marine ecosystem” of Korea Institute of Marine Science \& Technology Promotion (KIMST) funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries ( KIMST-20220383 ), and by the Korea Environment Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) through the “Development of methods measuring cumulative exposure to hazardous chemicals under the use of consumer products using passive samplers,” funded by the Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE) (No. 2021002970002). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2023",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.trac.2023.117263",

language = "English",

volume = "167",

journal = "TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry",

issn = "0165-9936",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Greenness of analytical methods for isolation and identification of microplastics in environmental and food samples - A critical review

AU - Pham, Dat Thanh

AU - Park, Hee Jin

AU - Mohamed, Dana Fahad M.S.

AU - Kim, Pil Gon

AU - Tarafdar, Abhrajyoti

AU - Kwon, Jung Hwan

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT) (No. RS-2023-00209242 ), by a grant “Risk assessment to prepare standards for protecting marine ecosystem” of Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries ( KIMST-20220383 ), and by the Korea Environment Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) through the “Development of methods measuring cumulative exposure to hazardous chemicals under the use of consumer products using passive samplers,” funded by the Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE) (No. 2021002970002). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2023/10

Y1 - 2023/10

N2 - Efforts to standardize microplastic extraction methods for environmental and food samples have often overlooked their environmental impact and sustainability. This study comprehensively reviews various analytical methods and assesses their sustainability using the Analytical GREEnness calculator. Toxic chemical usage was found to have the greatest impact, rendering in situ and chemical-free analysis the most sustainable method. Conversely, multi-step pretreatment involving chemical use was deemed the least sustainable. Selective sampling and micro/spectroscopy were identified as greener options than bulk sampling and thermal analysis, respectively. Magnetic/electrostatic separation has emerged as an optimal method for routine analysis, while solvent extraction is suitable for precise and extensive research purposes. For enhanced sustainability, it is crucial to replace, reduce, and reuse hazardous reagents. Additionally, promoting miniaturization, automation, and in situ imaging methods for routine monitoring of microplastics in environmental and food samples is essential for advancing green practices.

AB - Efforts to standardize microplastic extraction methods for environmental and food samples have often overlooked their environmental impact and sustainability. This study comprehensively reviews various analytical methods and assesses their sustainability using the Analytical GREEnness calculator. Toxic chemical usage was found to have the greatest impact, rendering in situ and chemical-free analysis the most sustainable method. Conversely, multi-step pretreatment involving chemical use was deemed the least sustainable. Selective sampling and micro/spectroscopy were identified as greener options than bulk sampling and thermal analysis, respectively. Magnetic/electrostatic separation has emerged as an optimal method for routine analysis, while solvent extraction is suitable for precise and extensive research purposes. For enhanced sustainability, it is crucial to replace, reduce, and reuse hazardous reagents. Additionally, promoting miniaturization, automation, and in situ imaging methods for routine monitoring of microplastics in environmental and food samples is essential for advancing green practices.

KW - Analytical GREEnness (AGREE)

KW - Environment

KW - food

KW - Green analytical chemistry

KW - Microplastic

KW - Pretreatment

KW - Sustainability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85169893049

U2 - 10.1016/j.trac.2023.117263

DO - 10.1016/j.trac.2023.117263

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85169893049

SN - 0165-9936

VL - 167

JO - TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry

JF - TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry

M1 - 117263

ER -

Greenness of analytical methods for isolation and identification of microplastics in environmental and food samples - A critical review

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this