Draft summary

This document specifies a method for identifying microplastics, using microscopic observation, whether the size of captured fibre fragments released from fabrics under washing test conditions. It also specifies a thermal method and a gravimetric method for the quantitative determination of microplastics made of certain synthetic fibres: polyester (PES), polyamide (PA), acrylic (PAN), elastane (EL), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE). The thermal methods such as pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) and thermo extraction desorption-gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS) are applicable to PES, PAN, PA, and EL. The gravimetric method is applicable to PP and PE, including blended fabrics, provided that non-PP/PE components are dissolved by appropriate solvents so that PP and PE are isolated for quantification. These thermal and gravimetric methods are applicable to fabrics composed of these six synthetic fibres, either alone or in blends with other fibres (e.g., natural or non-target synthetic fibres). Gravimetric method does not apply to: solvent-insoluble components (e.g., aramids) composed with polypropylene and/or polyethylene