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'Stat on pixels': An automated counting method for selective fluorescent-stained microplastics using Nile Red dye
Summary
This Australian study developed an automated counting method using Nile Red fluorescent dye and image processing software to quantify microplastics in environmental samples. Automated counting reduces the labor intensity of microplastic monitoring, making larger-scale surveillance of marine environments more feasible.
The NSW marine debris threat and risk assessment identified microplastics as a priority threat to the environmental assets and social values of the marine estate.There are increasing interests in microplastics and calls for a greater understanding of their presence and impacts.However, traditional environmental microplastic assessment is expensive, labour intensive, and lacks standardisation in sampling and analysis protocols.Most commonly, microplastic assessment involves (1) an expert manually counting each piece through a microscope, or (2) the more expensive approach, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman micro spectroscopy.