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Microplastic extraction method optimisation in solid marine matrices, to preserve integrity and polymer recovery
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Scientists developed a better method for pulling tiny plastic bits (microplastics) out of ocean sediment and sea creatures without damaging or destroying the plastic during testing—a problem that's made it hard for researchers to accurately compare pollution levels across studies. Using this improved technique, they found that sea cucumbers and coastal sediment near Spain both contained meaningful amounts of microplastics, reinforcing that these pollutants are working their way into marine food sources we may eventually eat. While this study doesn't directly test human health effects, better detection tools like this one are a crucial first step toward understanding how much plastic p
The development of effective methodologies for extracting microplastics from marine matrices is key for designing appropriate measures to reduce and mitigate their effects. The diversity of protocols developed shows problems and limitations that hinder the comparability and reproducibility of the results obtained in different studies. The aim of the present study is to optimise an efficient method for the extraction and isolation of microplastics from solid marine matrices without causing polymer degradation. Three solutions were evaluated for the digestion of organic matrices (10% KOH, 15% HO, 35% HNO) and three salts were tested for the density separation of microplastics from sediments (NaCl, ZnCl, NaI). The potential chemical degradation associated with both steps was monitored using Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that digestion of organic matrices with 10% KOH at 60 °C for 24 h, combined with density separation using a 30% ZnCl solution in water, was optimal and did not compromise polymer integrity. The optimised method was subsequently applied to sediment samples and holothurian digestive tracts collected from a coastal area in Calpe (Alicante, Spain). Holothurians accumulated microplastics, with the highest abundances in the 1-500 μm and 500-1000 μm size ranges. Sediment samples exhibited greater quantities in the 500-1000 μm and 1000-1500 μm fractions. Overall, 95% of the recovered microplastics were identified using a Raman spectral database created during the optimization protocol. The new optimised protocol offers a robust and polymer-preserving approach for the extraction and characterisation of microplastics from solid marine matrices, facilitating more reliable assessments of microplastic pollution in coastal environments.
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