We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A simple, rapid and accurate method for the sample preparation and quantification of meso- and microplastics in food and food waste streams
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a simple, rapid, and accurate method for preparing and quantifying meso- and microplastics in food and food waste streams, enabling reliable assessment of plastic contamination in biomass used for energy recovery.
Plastics are produced and used in large quantities worldwide (e.g. as food packaging). In line with this, plastic particles are found throughout the ecosphere and in various foods. As a result, plastics are also present in energy-rich waste biomass derived from the food industry, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. These waste streams are a valuable source for biogas production but can also be used to feed insects that in turn upcycle it into new high-value biomass. In both applications, the remaining residue can be used as fertilizer. Due to the present plastic particles, these applications could pose a continued threat to the environment, and both human and animal health. Therefore, the need of determining the (micro)plastic content to assess the potential danger is rising. In this research, a closed-vessel microwave-assisted acid digestion method was developed to accurately determine meso- and microplastic contents in food (waste) matrices by solubilising this food matrix. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) food packaging foil was used to develop the method, using a full factorial design with three parameters (nitric acid concentration (c(HNO3)), temperature (T), and time (t)). According to this model, the best practical conditions were c(HNO3) = 0.50 mol/L, T = 170 °C, and t = 5.00 min. Subsequently, the method was tested on five other plastics, namely high- and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), mixed with a food matrix, resulting in a mean plastic recovery of 102.2 ± 4.1%. Additionally, the polymers were not oxidised during the microwave digestion. For PVC and PS hardly any degradation was found, while HDPE, LDPE, and PP showed slight chain degradation, although without recovery loss. In conclusion, the method is an accurate approach to quantify the total meso- and microplastic content in food (waste) matrices with minimal change in their intrinsic characteristics.
More Papers Like This
Methods for the identification and quantification of microplastics in foods (a review)
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined analytical methods for identifying and quantifying microplastics in food, finding that standardized, sensitive techniques are urgently needed to accurately assess human dietary exposure to these emerging contaminants.
Microplastics in food - a critical approach to definition, sample preparation, and characterisation
AI summary Read the abstract
This review critically examines how microplastics in food are defined, extracted, and analyzed across different studies, finding significant inconsistencies that make it hard to compare results. The lack of standardized methods for isolating and identifying microplastics in food means that contamination levels may be over- or underestimated. The authors call for unified research methods to enable credible assessments of how dietary microplastic exposure affects health.
Validation of Sample Preparation Methods for Microplastic Analysis in Wastewater Matrices—Reproducibility and Standardization
AI summary Read the abstract
Sample preparation methods for microplastic analysis in wastewater were validated against reference standards to assess recovery rates and reproducibility. The validation study identified methods that reliably extract microplastics from complex wastewater matrices, supporting more consistent environmental monitoring of microplastic discharge from treatment plants.
A rapid method for extracting microplastics from oily food samples
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Sampling and Sample Preparation Techniques for Micro- and Nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists don't have a standard way to find and measure tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in our environment, making it hard to compare research results. This review paper examines different methods researchers use to detect these plastic particles in air, water, soil, food, and living things. Having better, consistent testing methods is important because microplastics are found throughout our environment and food chain, but we can't properly track their health effects without reliable measurement techniques.
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.