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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Detection Methods Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Lost, but Found with Nile Red: A Novel Method for Detecting and Quantifying Small Microplastics (1 mm to 20 μm) in Environmental Samples

Environmental Science & Technology 2017 761 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Matthew I. Gibson, Matthew I. Gibson, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Matthew I. Gibson, Matthew I. Gibson, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Matthew I. Gibson, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Joseph A. Christie‐Oleza, Richard C. Thompson Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson Richard C. Thompson

Summary

Researchers developed a new high-throughput method using the fluorescent dye Nile Red to detect and count small microplastic particles between 20 and 1000 micrometers in size. When tested on ocean surface samples, the method revealed a dramatic increase in particle numbers at smaller sizes, following a predictable mathematical pattern. The findings help explain the apparent disappearance of small microplastics from surface waters and suggest previous surveys significantly undercounted them.

Polymers
PE PP PS nylon
Study Type Environmental

Marine plastic debris is a global environmental problem. Surveys have shown that <5 mm plastic particles, known as microplastics, are significantly more abundant in surface seawater and on shorelines than larger plastic particles are. Nevertheless, quantification of microplastics in the environment is hampered by a lack of adequate high-throughput methods for distinguishing and quantifying smaller size fractions (<1 mm), and this has probably resulted in an underestimation of actual microplastic concentrations. Here we present a protocol that allows high-throughput detection and automated quantification of small microplastic particles (20-1000 μm) using the dye Nile red, fluorescence microscopy, and image analysis software. This protocol has proven to be highly effective in the quantification of small polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and nylon-6 particles, which frequently occur in the water column. Our preliminary results from sea surface tows show a power-law increase in small microplastics (i.e., <1 mm) with a decreasing particle size. Hence, our data help to resolve speculation about the "apparent" loss of this fraction from surface waters. We consider that this method presents a step change in the ability to detect small microplastics by substituting the subjectivity of human visual sorting with a sensitive and semiautomated procedure.

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