Standardised protocol for monitoring microplastics in sediments

Frias, João; Pagter, Elena; Nash, Róisín; O’Connor, Isabel A.; Carretero, Olga; Filgueiras, Ana Virginia; Viñas, L.; Gago, Jesús; Antunes, Joana; Bessa, Filipa; Sobral, Paula; Goruppi, A.; Tirelli, Valentina; Pedrotti, Maria Luiza; Suaria, Giuseppe; Aliani, Stefano; Lopes, Clara; Raimundo, Joana; Caetano, Miguel; Gerdts, Gunnar

doi:10.13140/rg.2.2.36256.89601/1

Cited by 36 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…For granulometric analyses (protocol adapted from Pagter et al (2018)), 50 g of each sample (dry sediment), was weighed in 1 L beakers, to the nearest 0.01 g. Then, to remove the organic matter, 200 ml of H 2 O 2 (6%) was added to each beaker. After manually stirring, samples were left to digest until there was no sign of reaction (2 days on average; 50 ml of H 2 O 2 were added per each extra day).…”

Section: Sediment Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution patterns of microplastics in subtidal sediments from the Sado river estuary and the Arrábida marine park, Portugal

Rodrigues

Antunes

Pais

et al. 2022

Front. Environ. Sci.

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Understanding local accumulation patterns of microplastics in subtidal sediments is crucial to assess how available such particles are for ingestion by benthic feeders and to identify the potential pollution sources in the region upon which is urgent to act. The coastal urban centers of Setúbal and Sesimbra (Portugal) and the multiple activities taking place at the contiguous Sado estuary and in the sheltered waters of Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park make this a relevant case study about MPs pollution in the seabed. Here, a short-term investigation assessed the spatiotemporal distribution, abundance, and composition of MPs on the nearshore seabed. Sediment samples were monthly collected from summer 2018 to winter 2019, in six stations. Despite the differences observed in rainfall between campaigns, no distinct patterns were detected in the accumulation of MPs throughout the sampled months. Yet, strong variations occurred among stations. The abundance of MPs in the Sado estuary (1042.8 ± 430.8 items kg−1) was higher in comparison to all the stations located along the marine park (52.9 ± 31.9 items kg−1). Fragments comprised 70% of particles found in estuarine sediments, while fibers were the predominant type in marine sediments. The majority of MPs collected in the estuary shared the same size class as the best represented grain size fraction: 0.250–0.500 mm. On average, the ratio between the abundance of MPs and the abundance of meiofauna organisms was higher in the estuary, suggesting more encounter rates, by both meiofauna and their predators, with MPs. The distribution of MPs throughout the study area was moderately correlated with sediment sorting and organic matter content. Also, the distinct mineralogical content of each station indicates a reduced sediment transit between stations and consequently a weak exportation of MPs from the estuary. The majority of the polymers identified by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was denser than seawater. Polyethylene terephthalate represented 41% of the items analyzed and was mostly assigned to fibers and fiber bundles. Unveiling the distribution patterns of MPs along this segment of the Portuguese west coast enabled to identify a high-risk area where the implementation of preventive measures is urgent.

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Section: Sediment Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution patterns of microplastics in subtidal sediments from the Sado river estuary and the Arrábida marine park, Portugal

Rodrigues

Antunes

Pais

et al. 2022

Front. Environ. Sci.

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“…In this study, a particle containing plastic polymer(s) was qualified as an MP when the HQI (spectrum quality) was ≥0.75 compared to the reference spectrum. The value of 0.75 was selected and adapted based on previous work − and on the limited range of wavelengths (1800–975 cm –1 ) studied. If the HQI was <0.75, the particle was classified as undetermined.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in the Marine Environment Using the Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Technique

Ourgaud

Phuong

Papillon

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Here, we evaluate for the first time the performances of the newly developed laser direct infrared (LDIR) technique and propose an optimization of the initial protocol for marine microplastics (MPs) analysis. Our results show that an 8 μm porosity polycarbonate filter placed on a Kevley slide enables preconcentration and efficient quantification of MPs, as well as polymer and size determination of reference plastic pellets of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with recoveries ranging from 80–100% and negligible blank values for particle sizes ranging from 200 to 500 μm. A spiked experiment using seawater, sediment, mussels, and fish stomach samples showed that the method responded linearly with significant slopes (R 2 ranging from 0.93–1.0; p < 0.001, p < 0.01). Overall, 11 polymer types were identified with limited handling and an analysis time of ca. 3 h for most samples and 6 h for complex samples. Application of this technique to Mediterranean marine samples (seawater, sediment, fish stomachs and mussels) indicated MP concentrations and size distribution consistent with the literature. A high predominance of PVC (sediment, fish stomachs) and PE and PP (seawater, mussels) was observed in the analyzed samples.

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“…A specific case is the "multicolor" hue, as some microplastics may have different colors on different parts. In addition to these, colors such as purple, yellow, brown, pink, and others occur to a lesser extent [20]. Color is considered important for studies concerning aquatic organisms, as some species are thought to potentially ingest microplastics based on a color preference behavior.…”

Section: Characterization Of Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The type of polymer, size, shape, and color provide comprehensive data on the identified microplastics. Although there are no official standards for the classification of microplastics at this moment, several manuals have been developed for this purpose which seek to facilitate their characterization [6,20,26].…”

Section: Characterization Of Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in the Food Chain

Cverenkárová

Valachovičová

Martı́n

et al. 2021

Life

106

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Currently, microplastics represent a widespread contamination found in almost every part of the environment. The plastic industry has generated waste since the 1950s, which unfortunately now counts in the millions. The largest share of plastic consumption is used to produce packaging materials, including those applied in the food industry. The versatility of plastic materials is mainly due to their lightness, flexibility, strength, and persistence. Although plastic materials are widely used due to their beneficial properties, contamination of the environment with microplastics and nanoplastics is an emerging problem worldwide. This type of contamination is endangering animal life and thus also the food chain and public health. This review summarizes the knowledge about microplastics in the food chain. The effect of microplastics on the food chain has been particularly studied in marine organisms, and research deals less with other food commodities. Therefore, based on the studied literature, we can conclude that the issue is still not sufficiently examined, and should be paid more attention to maintain the health of the population.

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Standardised protocol for monitoring microplastics in sediments

Cited by 36 publications

References 0 publications

Distribution patterns of microplastics in subtidal sediments from the Sado river estuary and the Arrábida marine park, Portugal

Distribution patterns of microplastics in subtidal sediments from the Sado river estuary and the Arrábida marine park, Portugal

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in the Marine Environment Using the Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Technique

Microplastics in the Food Chain

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