**2. Preliminary study to characterize plastic polymers using elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS)**

In 2016, Berto and collaborators carried out a preliminary study aimed at evaluating the potentials of stable isotope analysis to discriminate a wider range of plastic and bioplastic materials (including those highly used in packaging, such as shopping bags and plastic bottles for drinking water) (**Table 1**) to the scope of using this analytical technique for the identification of plastic debris in marine samples in future field surveys [27].

 Furthermore, considering the lack of knowledge on possible changes in the carbon isotopic signature of plastics due to degradation processes in the marine environment, this study also investigated the variation of δ13C values of petroleum- and plant-derived polymers of packaging materials subjected to biotic and abiotic degradation. The study was carried out by using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer Delta V Advantage (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen, Germany) coupled with an elemental analyzer Flash 2000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen, Germany). The accuracy of the isotopic data was evaluated by the analysis of the certified polyethylene foil (−31.8 ± 0.2‰, IAEA-CH-7, International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria). The analytical precision of measurements was 0.2‰ for C.



**Table 1.** 

*Plastic (petroleum and plant-derived polymers) and natural matrices analyzed in this study.* 

*Elemental Analyzer/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA/IRMS) as a Tool to Characterize... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81485* 

This chapter gives a review of the main insights obtained and critically discusses the potentials of the carbon isotope ratio analysis to study the behavior and fate of plastics in the aquatic environment.
