Rapid and Sensitive Quantification of Nano- and Microplastics in Water, Sediment, and Biological Tissue by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Dynamic Reaction Monitoring

A highly sensitive and selective method was developed for the quantification of nano- and microplastics (NMPs) in water, sediments, and biological tissues using pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (Py-GC-qQq-MS). Dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (DMRM) and internal standard calibration enabled quantification of 12 common polymers at nanogram levels (1–126 ng). Sample preparation and cleanup was matrix-specific, employing filtration, enzymatic digestion, or pressurized liquid extraction. The addition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) enhanced signal intensity for several polymers, while tandem mass spectrometry ensured high specificity and sensitivity. Lipid interference for the major plastics polyethylene, polypropylene and nylon-66 was addressed by developing a rigorous correction procedure. The method was applied to field samples from the Gulf of Mexico and the Texas coast, successfully detecting NMPs in water, sediment, and biota. The presented method enables high-throughput, targeted monitoring of plastic pollution across diverse environmental matrices.