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Microplastic quantification affected by structure and pore size of filters
Huiwen Cai1, Mengdi Chen2, Qiqing Chen1
1State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
Chemosphere
|June 9, 2020
Summary
Filter choice significantly impacts microplastic capture efficiency. Different filter structures and pore sizes affect the accurate quantification of microplastics, especially fibers and fragments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Microplastics (<5 mm) are pervasive environmental contaminants.
- Standardized methods for microplastic quantification are crucial for accurate environmental monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of filter structure and pore size on microplastic capture efficiency.
- To determine optimal filtration parameters for accurate microplastic abundance assessment.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of microplastic retention using nylon, polycarbonate, and cotton fiber filters with varying pore sizes.
- Filtration of laboratory-prepared microplastic samples and field water samples.
- Evaluation of filter performance based on microplastic shape, size, and abundance.
Main Results:
- Nylon filters (double-layer-hole) achieved near 100% fiber retention, while polycarbonate filters (single-layer-hole) retained 61.7%.
- Polycarbonate filters showed higher fragment retention (80.8%) compared to cotton fiber filters (54.4%).
- Observed microplastic sizes sometimes fell outside expected ranges based on filter pore size, indicating filtration inconsistencies.
Conclusions:
- Filter structure and pore size critically affect the accurate quantification of microplastics by shape.
- A 20 μm pore-size filter with a double-layer-hole structure is recommended for comprehensive microplastic abundance analysis.
- Optimized filtration strategies are necessary to account for filtration duration, observation limitations, and identification instrument resolution.
