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Common laboratory reagents: Are they a double-edged sword in microplastics research?
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This study tested whether common laboratory reagents themselves are contaminated with microplastics and found measurable plastic particles in several widely used chemicals, raising the concern that lab reagents could be an overlooked source of contamination in microplastic research.
Understanding and communicating instances of microplastic contamination is critical for enabling plastic-free transitions. While microplastics research uses a variety of commercial chemicals and laboratory liquids, the impact of microplastics on these materials remains unknown. To fill this knowledge gap, the current study investigated microplastics abundance and their characteristics in laboratory waters (distilled, deionized, and Milli-Q), salts (NaCl and CaCl), chemical solutions (HO, KOH and NaOH), and ethanol from various research laboratories and commercial brands. The mean abundance of microplastics in water, salt, chemical solutions, and ethanol samples was 30.21 ± 30.40 (L), 24.00 ± 19.00 (10 g), 187.00 ± 45.00 (L), and 27.63 ± 9.53 (L), respectively. Data comparisons revealed significant discrepancies between the samples in terms of microplastic abundance. Fibers (81 %) were the most common microplastics, followed by fragments (16 %) and films (3 %); 95 % of them were <500 μm, with the smallest and largest particle sizes recorded being 26 μm and 2.30 mm, respectively. Microplastic polymers discovered included polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, nylon, acrylic, paint chips, cellophane, and viscose. These findings lay the groundwork for identifying common laboratory reagents as a potential contributor to microplastic contamination in samples, and we offer solutions that should be integrated into data processing to produce accurate results. Taken together, this study shows that commonly used reagents not only play a key role in the microplastic separation process but also contain microplastic contamination themselves, requiring the attention of researchers to promote quality control during microplastic analysis and commercial suppliers in formulating novel prevention strategies.
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Suspected sources of microplastics and nanoplastics: Contamination from experimental reagents and solvents
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Researchers tested common laboratory chemicals used in microplastic detection and found that many of them already contain microplastic particles as contaminants. Hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride solutions, and other standard reagents all introduced measurable amounts of plastic particles, potentially skewing research results. The study highlights an important but overlooked source of error in microplastic research and recommends that scientists pre-filter their reagents to avoid false readings.
Plastic-on-Plastic: Underestimated Contamination Risks in Micro- and Nanoplastic Research
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Researchers reviewed how the plastic lab equipment, airborne fibers, and purified water used in microplastic and nanoplastic experiments contribute unintended contamination to samples, demonstrating scenarios where laboratory-derived particles can match or exceed intended experimental doses and thereby skew dose-response findings.
Potential sources of microplastic contamination in laboratory analysis and a protocol for minimising contamination
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Scientists identified multiple sources of microplastic contamination that can be accidentally introduced during laboratory analysis of biological samples, including from lab water, chemicals, and air. By filtering reagents, pre-treating glass fiber filters, and using a clean working environment, they reduced lab-introduced contamination by 70–100%. These findings are important for accurate microplastic research: without such precautions, studies can significantly overestimate how much plastic is actually present in animal tissues or environmental samples.
Microplastics are overestimated due to poor quality control of reagents
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This study demonstrated that inadequate quality control of chemical reagents used in microplastic analysis can introduce contamination that leads to systematic overestimation of microplastic concentrations in environmental samples, highlighting a critical methodological flaw in the field.
How do you study microplastics when they’re everywhere?
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Researchers investigating microplastic contamination face a fundamental methodological challenge: the very gloves, water, and lab reagents used to prepare samples can themselves introduce microplastics, while the field still lacks standardized analytical protocols—making it difficult to generate the robust, reproducible exposure data needed to assess human and ecosystem risk.
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