Spread of microplastics
The very small plastic particles can rise through condensation on water droplets and ultimately be spread everywhere as precipitation. Plastic fibers that dissolve in clothes dryers or refrigeration systems, for example, can travel long distances via the wind. Researchers have already found microplastics on mountains, in Antarctic snow and in the wind in the Sahara desert.
Microplastics also spread globally via the food chain. Smaller fish mistake the plastic particles for food and ingest them. Microplastics also accumulate in mussels. If these organisms are eaten by other animals, the chain continues. Today, residues of microplastics have already been detected in many edible fish.
Microplastics in humans and the environment
If we eat these foods, the plastic particles enter our entire body via the intestines. Microplastics have already been detected in the bloodstream and in numerous organs such as the liver, kidneys and even the brain. The long-term effects of this are still being researched.
In order to reduce the environmental impact of microplastics, a legal framework is already being created. The DIN EN ISO 24187:2022-01 standard provided a uniform characterization of microplastics a few years ago.
Detection of microplastics
The most common microscopes and spectroscopes in the field of microplastic analysis include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser direct infrared spectroscopy (LDIR). The effectiveness of the various microscopes and spectroscopes differs depending on the desired detection in terms of particle size, characterization of shape and form, detection speed and chemical ID.