Cross-contamination pathways in the analysis of plastics and related chemical compounds: Good laboratory practices and tips

Abstract

The analysis of plastics and related chemical compounds, such as plasticizers, flame retardants, and micro- or nanoplastics, often requires working at trace levels, where even minimal contamination can significantly affect results. However, many of these target analytes are also present in common laboratory materials and environ- ments, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. We identified six major cross-contamination pathways frequently found in analytical workflows: (I) laboratory materials, (II) environmental contamination, (III) human handling and manipulation, (IV) solvents and reagents, (V) cleaning and sample preparation, and (VI) instru- mental and system-related contamination. For each of these, preventive measures and good laboratory practices are suggested based on both experimental experience and examples in the literature. As a general recommen- dation, procedural blanks should be included throughout the analytical process, and contamination risks should be anticipated as early as the experimental design stage. This work provides a structured reference to support more reliable and reproducible data generation in the analysis of plastic-related contaminants. Researchers are further encouraged to evaluate contamination risks throughout the workflow and to report them transparently in their publications.