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Quick and efficient microplastic isolation from fatty fish tissues by surfactant-enhanced alkaline digestion
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Researchers developed a faster method for extracting microplastics from fish tissues using a combination of detergents and potassium hydroxide, completing digestion of 100-gram samples within 16 to 24 hours — far quicker than existing multi-day protocols. The technique reliably recovered six common plastic types down to 60-80 micrometers in fatty fish like mackerel and salmon, making routine food safety monitoring more practical.
For monitoring microplastic contamination in fish tissues, tissue digestion into filterable components prior to microplastic identification and quantification should be quick and efficient, providing satisfying microplastic recoveries of relevant particle sizes. Filtration with a small pore size, necessary to target small particles, is a challenge. Some proposed protocols take several days. To improve this, a combination of surfactants (Tween®-20 and Triton™ X-100) with potassium hydroxide (KOH) and pH neutralization was used. Fish bones were removed in tissue preparation prior to digestion. Recovery down to ca. 60-80 μm worked well for PA-66, PE, PET, PP, PS and PVC. In conclusion, we developed a comparatively swift digestion protocol, enabling filtration of 100 g samples with a pore size of 10 μm, for fish fillets with high (mackerel), intermediate (salmon, plaice) and low (cod) fat contents, fish liver, head kidney and oil samples, within 16-24 h.
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Improved methodology for microplastic extraction from gastrointestinal tracts of fat fish species
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Researchers improved microplastic extraction from fatty fish tissues by adding a small amount of the surfactant Tween-20 to potassium hydroxide digestion protocols, which disrupts the soap layer that forms during fat digestion and significantly increases microplastic recovery rates.
A rapid method for extracting microplastics from oily food samples
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Researchers developed a rapid method for extracting microplastics from oily food samples, addressing a key challenge for detecting plastic contamination in foods like fish that contain high fat content. Standardized extraction methods for oily food matrices are needed to accurately assess dietary microplastic exposure.
A comparison of new and conventional methods for isolating microplastics ingested by fish
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Researchers proposed a new, simplified method for extracting microplastics ingested by fish using acid digestion followed by filtration, and compared it to conventional techniques. The new procedure was found to be faster and simpler while recovering multiple common polymer types effectively.
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Researchers developed and tested a high-performance protocol for extracting microplastics from fish tissue, achieving high recovery rates and providing a standardized approach for seafood contamination monitoring.
A new method for microplastic extraction from fish guts assisted by chemical dissolution
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Researchers developed a new microplastic extraction protocol for fish gut samples that combines dissection, ultrasonication, and chemical dissolution to isolate plastic particles while preserving their integrity. This method improves extraction efficiency and enables more reliable characterization of microplastic contamination in fish.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.