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Self-contamination from clothing in microplastics research.
Costanza Scopetani1, Maranda Esterhuizen-Londt2, David Chelazzi3
1Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, FI-15140, Finland; Department of Chemistry Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy.
Self-contamination from clothing significantly impacts microplastic (MP) quantification in environmental samples like snow, ice, and sediment. Researchers must account for clothing fibers to avoid overestimating MP pollution.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants.
- Standardized methods for MP quantification are lacking.
- Self-contamination from clothing fibers is an overlooked factor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify self-contamination from sampling attire during microplastic analysis.
- To assess the contribution of clothing fibers to MP loads in environmental samples.
- To highlight the need for validated methodologies in MP research.
Main Methods:
- Sampling of lake sediment, snow, and ice.
- Wearing cotton overalls as a source of potential self-contamination.
- Quantification of cotton fibers using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
Main Results:
- Cotton fibers from sampling attire constituted 25% ± 1% of detected fibers in snow.
- Cotton fibers accounted for 20% ± 7% in ice and 8% ± 6% in sediment.
- Self-contamination significantly contributes to measured microplastic levels.
Conclusions:
- Self-contamination from clothing is a significant variable in microplastic quantification.
- Current microplastic data may overestimate environmental presence due to unaddressed self-contamination.
- Validated sampling and analytical protocols are crucial for accurate MP assessment.
