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Extraction method development for nanoplastics from oyster and fish tissues
Yu-Shan Chang1, Shih-Hsuan Chou2, Ya-Jhu Jhang3
1Master Program in Food Safety, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 10031, Taiwan.
The Science of the Total Environment
|December 30, 2021
Summary
A new method efficiently extracts nanoplastics from seafood like oysters and fish. This technique uses enzymatic digestion and filtration, paving the way for better nanoplastic detection in human food sources.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Food Safety
Background:
- Nanoplastics are increasingly detected in environmental media and consumer products.
- Limited data exists on nanoplastics in seafood, a primary human consumption source.
- A standardized method for nanoplastic extraction from seafood is currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an efficient method for extracting nanoplastics from oyster and fish tissues.
- To assess the effectiveness of enzymatic digestion and purification techniques for nanoplastic isolation.
- To establish a pretreatment protocol for nanoplastic detection in seafood.
Main Methods:
- Enzymatic digestion (Corolase, lipase) of seafood tissues.
- Sequential membrane filtration and centrifugal concentration.
- Purification using dialysis and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) incubation.
- Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) for validation.
Main Results:
- Corolase and lipase treatment achieved high digestion efficiencies (88-89%) for non-homogenized tissues.
- Extraction procedures showed good recoveries (71-110%) for labeled nanoplastics (PVC, PS).
- Enzymatic digestion preserved the morphology of most nanoplastic types (PVC, PE, PS).
- Method blanks contained minimal residual particles (150-300 nm).
Conclusions:
- An efficient method for nanoplastic extraction from seafood was successfully developed.
- The method utilizes common techniques and demonstrates high digestion efficiency and recovery rates.
- This protocol serves as a crucial pretreatment step for future nanoplastic detection in seafood.
