Detection of plastic particles in environmental samples: status and perspective

To summarize studies on detections of microplastic particles in environmental and biological samples. The reported methods′ theory, methodology, technical characteristics, and application were described and their main advantages/disadvantages and research directions were discussed. Major technologies for detections of microplastic particles in environmental and biological samples include microscope- and imaging-based particle morphological characterization, light spectrum-based plastic molecular and atomic analysis, pyrolysis-based reaction characteristics and products analysis and other analytical methods. There are great disparities in detection results of microplastic particles in various types samples using different methods; as yet there is no a method which could meet simultaneous analysis on morphology, composition, and trace concentration of micro- and nano-plastic particles in complex samples. While, pyrolysis-based gas chromatography-mass spectrometry could be employed as a general analysis on particles with specific size in prepared samples; combined with pyrolytic condition optimization and utilization of high-throughput mass spectrometry detector, the method could be applied to detections of trace plastic in various environmental and biological samples.