• • Py-GC-MS enables polymer-specific identification and quantification with detection limits down to sub-microgram levels, critical for trace microplastic analysis in environmental samples.
• • TGA-DSC provides thermal stability and degradation profiles, allowing estimation of polymer mass loss and additive content, but lacks chemical specificity, necessitating hyphenation with MS.
• • TED-GC-MS offers automated, high-throughput analysis with minimal sample preparation, achieving recoveries above 80% for spiked microplastics in complex matrices, as demonstrated in pressurized liquid extraction studies.
• • Standardization of pyrolysis protocols and development of reference materials are urgently needed to ensure inter-laboratory comparability and regulatory acceptance.