Method for the quantification and analysis of microplastics present in aqueous matrices
AssigneesCaptoplastic, S.L., Universidad Autonoma De Madrid
InventorsMacarena MUÑOZ GARCÍA, David ORTIZ SUÁREZ, Julia NIETO-SANDOVAL RODRÍGUEZ, Raquel PARRA SÁNCHEZ, Zahara MARTÍNEZ DE PEDRO, José Antonio CASAS DE PEDRO
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for the quantification and analysis of microplastics contained in aqueous matrices, comprising the magnetic separation of microplastics by the interaction of said microplastics with magnetic iron material particles, forming microplastic/magnetic iron material aggregates, the selective oxidation of the particles of a non-plastic organic nature, and the quantification and/of the separated microplastics.
Claims15
A process for determining parameters for the quantification of microplastics in an aqueous matrix comprising microplastics and non-plastic organic particles, and optionally inorganic particles, the process comprising:
- a1) providing a first sample of the aqueous matrix comprising microplastics, non-plastic organic particles, and optionally inorganic particles,
- b1) adding magnetic iron material particles to the aqueous matrix provided in step a1) to form microplastic/magnetic iron material particle aggregates and to form non-plastic organic particle/magnetic iron material particle aggregates,
- c1) separating the formed aggregates and the free magnetic material particles from the mixture of step b1) by applying a magnetic field,
- d1) subjecting the aggregates and the free magnetic iron material particles separated in step c1) to a step of drying,
- e1) determining the weight of dry solids of step d1), obtaining weight A,
- f1) preparing an aqueous suspension of the aggregates and the free magnetic iron material particles obtained in step d1),
- g1) subjecting the aqueous suspension prepared in step f1) to a microwave-assisted Fenton process,
- h1) separating the aggregates and the free magnetic material particles present in the aqueous suspension resulting from step g1), preferably by means of filtration,
- i1) subjecting the aggregates and the free magnetic iron material particles separated in step h1) to a step of drying,
- j1) determining the weight of dry solids in step i1), obtaining weight AF,
- k1) subjecting the aggregates and the free magnetic material particles separated in step i1) to a step of combustion, and
- l1) determining the weight of solids obtained after step k1), obtaining weight AFM.
A process for determining parameters for the quantification of microplastics in an aqueous matrix comprising microplastics and non-plastic organic particles, and optionally inorganic particles, the process comprising:
- a2) providing a first sample of the aqueous matrix comprising microplastics, non-plastic organic particles, and optionally inorganic particles,
- b2) separating the solids from the sample of step a2), preferably by means of filtration,
- c2) subjecting the solids separated in step b2) to a step of drying,
- d2) determining the weight of dry solids of step c2), obtaining weight STM,
- e2) subjecting the dry solids of step c2) to a step of combustion, and
- f2) determining the weight of solids obtained after step e2), obtaining weight SIM,
- g2) providing a second sample of the aqueous matrix comprising microplastics, non-plastic organic particles, and optionally inorganic particles,
- h2) adding magnetic iron material particles to the aqueous matrix provided in step g2) to form microplastic/magnetic iron material particle aggregates and to form non-plastic organic particle/magnetic iron material particle aggregates,
- i2) separating the formed aggregates and the free magnetic material particles from the mixture of step h2) by applying a magnetic field,
- j2) preparing an aqueous suspension of the aggregates and the free magnetic iron material particles separated in step i2),
- k2) subjecting the aqueous suspension prepared in step j2) to a microwave-assisted Fenton process,
- l2) separating the aggregates and the free magnetic material particles present in the aqueous suspension resulting from step k2), preferably by means of filtration,
- m2) subjecting the aggregates and the free magnetic iron material particles separated in step l2) to a step of drying,
- n2) determining the weight of dry solids in step m2), obtaining weight STNOXA,
- o2) subjecting the aggregates and the free magnetic material particles separated in step m2) to a step of combustion,
- p2) determining the weight of solids obtained after step o2), obtaining weight SIA
- q2) filtering the residual aqueous fraction obtained after the separation of step i2),
- r2) subjecting the solids separated in step q2) to a step of drying,
- s2) determining the weight of dry solids of step r2), obtaining weight STSN, and
- t2) subjecting the dry solids of step r2) to a step of combustion,
- u2) determining the weight of solids obtained after step t2), obtaining weight SISN.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.