Detecting Nanoplastics in Drinking Water Using AF4-MALS–Py-GC–MS/MS
A new study revealed Australian drinking water contained 0.3–0.7 μg/L nanoplastics and 0.5–1.5 μg/L microplastics. Polypropylene nanoplastics were identified, with 10⁶–10⁷ particles/mL in tap water.
Plastic contamination in drinking water is an emerging concern, with increasing attention being given to nanoplastics—particles smaller than microplastics that remain difficult to detect and quantify. Although microplastics have been widely studied, limited information is available on nanoplastic contamination and its potential implications for human exposure. In this study, the researchers developed a method for investigating both microplastics and nanoplastics using an integrated analytical approach combining asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation coupled with multiangle light scattering (AF4–MALS) and offline pyrolysis gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (Py-GC–MS/MS)