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Use of concentrated detergent to optimize the analysis of microplastics in water samples with chitinous zooplankton fragments
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Researchers developed a protocol using a common laboratory detergent to dissolve chitinous material from zooplankton shells, which can look nearly identical to microplastic fibers under a microscope and complicate accurate counting. Treating marine water samples at 50°C for two hours removed over 80% of chitin fragments without affecting actual microplastic particles. This methodological advance improves the accuracy and comparability of microplastic measurements in marine samples, which is important for building reliable global datasets.
Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants of increasing concern, requiring labor-intensive investigation with rigorous quality control to enhance the reliability, comparability, and reproducibility of research. Some organic materials present in environmental samples are hard to eliminate and need additional steps in preparation methods. Zooplankton appendages are an example of these material and can resemble tiny MPs, complicating the visualization and separation of real MPs from the sample matrix. To address this, we developed a method to reduce chitinous zooplankton fragments in marine water samples that can be extended to freshwater. Samples were collected along the São Paulo (Brazil) coast by trawling a 300 μm plankton net, then oven-dried, and treated with HO (30%, 24 h) and HNO (65%, 24 h). Despite these treatments, chitinous fragments remained, often resembling tiny MP fibers. We dissolved the fragments using Extran® detergent (20 mL), stirred and heated in a sand bath at 50°C for 1 and 2 h. This approach effectively eliminated chitinous material (80.5 ± 5.6%, after 2 h), accelerating visual MP identification and improving analytical accuracy. The method is recommended for samples with high chitinous zooplankton content, as it streamlines MP analysis and enhances result reliability.
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Use of concentrated detergent to optimize the analysis of microplastics in water samples with chitinous zooplankton fragments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a concentrated detergent treatment method to reduce chitinous zooplankton fragment interference in the analysis of microplastics from marine water samples, collecting samples from field sites to validate the protocol against conventional approaches. The method successfully reduced false-positive identification of zooplankton appendages as microplastics, improving the accuracy and quality control of marine microplastic monitoring in biologically rich water samples.
Ultrapure detergent (Extran®) improves microplastics analysis in surface water samples with planktonic fragments
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Researchers evaluated the use of ultrapure Extran detergent as a treatment step to reduce visual interference from chitinous planktonic fragments in microplastics analysis of marine surface water samples collected via 300 µm plankton net off the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Results demonstrated that the detergent treatment improved the clarity of microplastic identification by reducing misidentification of biological particles.
Facilitating microplastic quantification through the introduction of a cellulose dissolution step prior to oxidation: Proof-of-concept and demonstration using diverse samples from the Inner Oslofjord, Norway
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This study developed a two-step digestion method that removes both standard organic matter and resistant cellulosic material from marine samples before microplastic analysis, improving accuracy of microplastic counts. Cellulose-based materials like chitin from crustaceans can resemble microplastics and cause false positives, so removing them prior to analysis is an important quality control step.
Ultrapure detergent (Extran®) improves microplastics analysis in surface water samples with planktonic fragments
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Researchers evaluated the use of ultrapure Extran detergent to improve microplastic analysis in surface water samples containing planktonic fragments, addressing contamination and interference challenges during sample processing. The method aimed to reduce false positives by more effectively separating biological material from genuine microplastic particles during identification.
Efficacy of chemical digestion methods to reveal undamaged microplastics from planktonic samples
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Researchers compared several chemical methods for removing biological material from marine water samples so that microplastics associated with plankton can be accurately identified. They found that alkaline and oxidative digestion methods were the most effective at breaking down plankton while causing minimal damage to the microplastic particles themselves. The study contributes to standardizing laboratory techniques so that microplastic measurements across different research groups are more comparable and reliable.
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