A Procedure for Isolating Microplastic Particles Based on Evaluation of Coastal Dune Sands from Sandy Neck Beach, Barnstable, Massachusetts

Primary microplastic particles are derived from cosmetics, synthetic clothing, and industrial stock material. Secondary constituents come from the breakdown of macroplastic waste. The ubiquity of microplastics in marine sediments has been well documented. However, the procedures by which samples have been prepared and microplastics extracted from marine sediments vary considerably. Furthermore, investigation of potential microplastic particles from terrestrial realms has been understudied. In this poster we present a procedure we developed to ensure reproducibility of data specifically for terrestrial sand samples. Recent research has demonstrated the efficacy of the lipophilic dye Nile Red as a means to stain microplastic particles and facilitate their identification. We used Nile Red in concert with zinc chloride density separation, rather than the more commonly used sodium chloride, to isolate microplastics from beach dunes at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, Massachusetts. We then viewed, counted and categorized particles using fluorescent microscopy. Our investigation revealed microplastics at each of nine sample locations. Concentrations of microplastic particles varied from location to location. Microplastics appeared as fibers, fragments and beads. In this presentation we reveal the proportions of microplastics at each sample location and plot the distribution of particles by type.