A growing interest in microplastic pollution in the environment demands
simple, inexpensive, comparable, and robust methods for microplastic (MP) analysis. A
wide range of methodologies for sampling, sample preparation, and MP analysis are in
use. This chapter discusses the most common detection methods, as well as sampling
strategies and sample preparation methods along with a special emphasis on
challenges. The spectroscopic methods require time-consuming sample preparation and
measurement durations, whereas thermo-analytical methods are faster but lack the
ability to determine sample size distribution. Many articles concerning the quality and
quantity of MPs in various matrices have been published. However, drawbacks and
limitations in MP analyses are frequently overlooked or ignored. As a result, depending
on the defined analytical question, the majority of the described methods are
applicable. As a result, this chapter summarizes current sampling, sample preparation,
and analysis methods, discusses limitations, and outlines the complexities associated
with MP loss or contamination during sampling and laboratory testing.
Keywords: Characterization, Digestion, Detection, Density separation, Extraction, FTIR, Identification, Infrared spectroscopy, Limitations, Microplastic, Occurrence, Processing, Purification, Pyr-GC-MS, Quality, Quantification, Raman, SEM, Spectrometry, Sampling.
