The increasing application of nanoparticles (NPs) to different products by the industry has raised concerns regarding their release into environmental matrices. Single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) is a growing technique based on counting particle events that allow the characterisation and quantification of NPs at environmental concentrations. However, a number concentration (NNP) of 104–105 NPs mL−1 in the suspension is required. Considering 10 ng L−1 for 80 nm AgNPs, a NNP of ~3500 NPs mL−1 is expected; thus, a preconcentration step can be an alternative to increase the NNP. Eco-corona formation with humic acid (HA) and NPs is a well-known environmental process. This work used an induced eco-corona formation to fractionate and preconcentrate NPs in environmental waters. For ultrapure water, 7 times more NPs were detected in the spICP-MS analysis, representing a NNP of ~2.9 × 104 NPs mL−1, with a concentration factor (CF) ~9 times that for both NNP and mass concentration (~80 ng L−1). Additionally, the size of the AgNPs was maintained after the method without compromising NP characterisation. The method's feasibility was also tested in drinking water, tap water, and river water, and a CF between 7 and 8 times that for NNP and mass concentration was obtained, demonstrating its applicability despite the matrix’s composition and pH. The induced eco-corona method can be used to track NPs in environmental waters at concentrations < 10 ng L−1; besides the main objective of preconcentrating NPs, making the samples suitable for analysis by spICP-MS was achieved, allowing the NPs’ proper size distribution characterization according to spICP-MS theory.

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