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Lost, but found with Nile red ; a novel method to detect and quantify small microplastics (20 µm–1 mm) in environmental samples

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Erni-Cassola, Gabriel, Gibson, Matthew I., Thompson, Richard C. and Christie-Oleza, Joseph Alexander (2017) Lost, but found with Nile red ; a novel method to detect and quantify small microplastics (20 µm–1 mm) in environmental samples. Environmental Science & Technology, 51 (23). pp. 13641-13648. doi:10.1021/acs.est.7b04512 ISSN 0013-936X.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b04512

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Abstract

Marine plastic debris is a global environmental problem. Surveys have shown that plastic particles <5 mm in size, known as microplastics, are significantly more abundant in surface seawater and on shorelines than larger plastic particles. Nevertheless, quantification of microplastics in the environment is hampered by a lack of adequate high throughput methods to distinguish and quantify 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 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 of small microplastics (i.e. <1 mm) with decreasing particle size. Hence, our data helps to resolve speculation on 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 semi-automated procedure.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Chemistry
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Microplastics, Plastic marine debris
Journal or Publication Title: Environmental Science & Technology
Publisher: American Chemical Society
ISSN: 0013-936X
Official Date: 5 December 2017
Dates:
DateEvent
5 December 2017Published
7 November 2017Available
7 November 2017Accepted
Volume: 51
Number: 23
Page Range: pp. 13641-13648
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04512
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit: 14 November 2017
Date of first compliant Open Access: 7 November 2018
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
NE/K009044/1Natural Environment Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000270
BB/M017982/1Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000268
UNSPECIFIEDUniversity of Warwick. Integrative Synthetic Biology CentreUNSPECIFIED

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