Reporting Guidelines to Increase the Reproducibility and Comparability of Research on Microplastics

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecotoxicology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Microplastic pollution is a pervasive environmental issue attracting significant scientific and public attention.
• Existing research methods for microplastics lack standardization, hindering comparability and reproducibility.
• The need for harmonized approaches is critical to advance understanding of microplastic sources, fate, and impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose standardized reporting guidelines for microplastic research.
• To improve the validity, reproducibility, and comparability of microplastic studies.
• To facilitate the annotation, dissemination, interpretation, and synthesis of microplastic research.

Main Methods:

• Development of harmonized reporting guidelines through a collaborative effort of 23 researchers.
• Establishment of best practices for all study stages: materials, QA/QC, data, sampling, preparation, identification, categorization, quantification, and toxicology.
• Creation of user-friendly resources: a detailed document, a checklist, and a mind map.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive set of reporting guidelines for microplastic studies has been developed.
• Three accessible documents (detailed guide, checklist, mind map) are provided for practical application.
• The guidelines cover environmental and laboratory settings, addressing all key aspects of microplastic research.

Conclusions:

• The proposed reporting guidelines aim to overcome current limitations in microplastic research.
• Implementation of these guidelines will enhance the quality and reliability of scientific findings.
• Open access dissemination (CC BY 4.0) ensures broad accessibility and application for the global scientific community.