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Replicas for success - microplastics sampling strategy for low-polluted waterbodies

2024 2 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Saija Saarni, Mathis Blache, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Natalja Buhhalko, Marta Barone, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Mathis Blache, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Saija Saarni, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Mathis Blache, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Saija Saarni, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Marta Barone, Marta Barone, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Saija Saarni, Natalja Buhhalko, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Saija Saarni, Natalja Buhhalko, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, E. Antonsson, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Natalja Buhhalko, Saija Saarni, E. Antonsson, E. Antonsson, Marta Barone, E. Antonsson, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, E. Antonsson, E. Antonsson, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Mathis Blache, Mathis Blache, Mathis Blache, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Marta Barone, Marta Barone, Marta Barone, Marta Barone, Natalja Buhhalko, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Natalja Buhhalko, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Natalja Buhhalko, Steffen Mischke, Natalja Buhhalko, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Steffen Mischke, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Natalja Buhhalko, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Saija Saarni, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Marta Barone, Marta Barone, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Sanda Svipsta, Inta Dimante‐Deimantovica

Summary

A study analyzing 15 consecutive water samples from low-pollution sites in Iceland found that microplastic concentrations varied so much between samples that at least five to seven replicates are needed to get a statistically reliable estimate. This methodological finding is important because many microplastic studies use only one or two samples, potentially producing misleading data about pollution levels in cleaner environments.

Study Type Environmental

<title>Abstract</title> There has been a long debate about the importance of reliable microplastic (MP) monitoring in aquatic environments, which includes the need for appropriate replication. This article examines a methodological weakness in surface water MP research, offering a practical recommendation to improve the reliability of environmental MP data and addressing the need for robust sampling methodology, i.e., replication of samples. Two sets (marine and freshwater) of 15 consecutively collected surface water MP samples from Iceland were obtained via net (300 µm) trawling and evaluated to determine the optimal number of replicas needed for precise environmental data acquisition in environments with low MP concentrations. The results revealed significant variability in MP concentrations between trawlings, emphasizing the influence of sporadic occurrences of MPs in surface waters. Increasing the number of replicates can lead to smaller maximal differences between MP concentration estimates, which is particularly crucial in environments with low MP pollution levels. At least three replicate trawlings should be performed per site to obtain representative results. Additionally, estimating filtered water volume using flow meters or alternative devices is recommended over theoretical calculations.

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