We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Exploring the Efficacy of Nile Red in Microplastic Quantification: A Costaining Approach
Summary
This study assessed the effectiveness of Nile Red, a fluorescent dye commonly used to detect microplastics, by comparing it with other staining approaches and evaluating detection accuracy. The research found that costaining strategies and careful protocol standardization can improve the reliability of Nile Red-based microplastic quantification.
The presence of microplastic particles (<5 mm) in the environment has generated considerable concern across public, political, and scientific platforms. However, the diversity of microplastics that persist in the environment poses complex analytical challenges for our understanding of their prevalence. The use of the dye Nile red to quantify microplastics is increasingly common. However, its use in microplastic analysis rarely accounts for its affinity with the breadth of particles that occur in environmental samples. Here, we examine Nile red’s ability to stain a variety of microplastic particles and common natural and anthropogenic particles found in environmental samples. To better constrain microplastic estimates using Nile red, we test the coapplication of a second stain that binds to biological material, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). We test the potential inflation of microplastic estimates using Nile red alone by applying this costaining approach to samples of drinking water and freshwater. The use of Nile red dye alone resulted in a maximum 100% overestimation of microplastic particles. These findings are of particular significance for the public dissemination of findings from an emotive field of study.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Analyzing microplastics with Nile Red: Emerging trends, challenges, and prospects
This review evaluates the Nile Red staining technique as an analytical method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples. The study concludes that while Nile Red has emerged as a viable low-cost alternative to visual identification for microplastics research, not everything that fluoresces is plastic, so additional spectroscopic analysis is needed to validate results.
Nile Red Staining as a Subsidiary Method for Microplastic Quantifica-tion: A Comparison of Three Solvents and Factors Influencing Application Reliability
This study evaluated Nile Red fluorescent staining as a method for quantifying microplastics in environmental samples, comparing it to traditional identification techniques. The approach can help distinguish microplastics from organic particles more quickly and cost-effectively, supporting higher-throughput microplastic analysis in environmental monitoring programs.
Detection limits are central to improve reporting standards when using Nile red for microplastic quantification
Researchers evaluated the efficacy of Nile red fluorescent staining for quantifying microplastics, demonstrating that polymer-specific differences in fluorescent response create variable detection limits that undermine the comparability and reproducibility of MP quantification across studies. The authors call for standardized reporting of detection limits when using Nile red to improve data quality in microplastic research.
Comprehensive assessment of factors influencing Nile red staining: Eliciting solutions for efficient microplastics analysis
Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of Nile red staining for microplastic analysis and found that wavelength, temperature, hydrogen peroxide treatment, NaCl addition, and plastic polymer type all significantly influence staining efficiency, proposing solutions to improve detection accuracy.
Identification and quantification of microplastics using Nile Red staining
Researchers tested Nile Red staining as a method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples, finding it useful for rapid screening but noting limitations in distinguishing plastics from non-plastic particles.