Production of Irregularly Shaped True-To-Life Microplastics with Embedded Optical Labels

Summary

Research on microplastics is hampered by the particles used to study them: neat spheres that bear little resemblance to the irregular fragments and fibres actually found in the environment. This work proposes electrospun microfibres as a precursor material, allowing optical labels to be embedded directly during production and then broken down into irregular fragments and fibres that mimic real debris. Using polystyrene as a model polymer, the fibres were doped with organic fluorophores, giving particles that are both realistic in shape and traceable in biological and environmental experiments - two properties that were previously difficult to obtain together.

Authors & Affiliations

• Anna J. Wieberneit

  Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, Germany
• Sebastian J. Baumann

  Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, Germany
• Hannah Triebel

  Institute of Physiology, University of Regensburg, Germany
• Sarah Dietrich

  Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, Germany
• Nongnoot Wongkaew

  Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, Germany
• Hayo Castrop

  Institute of Physiology, University of Regensburg, Germany
• Antje J. Baeumner Corresponding

  Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, Germany

Linari Electrospinning Systems

Topics

Materials