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Updated: Oct 6, 2026
Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Additives, plasticizers, small microplastics (<100 μm), and other microlitter components in the gastrointestinal
Fabiana Corami1, Beatrice Rosso2, Andrea Augusto Sfriso3
1Institute of Polar Sciences, CNR-ISP, Campus Scientifico - Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino, 155, 30172 Venezia-Mestre, Italy; Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino, 155, 30172 Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
Abstract:
One of the aims of this study is the development of a pretreatment method for additives, plasticizers and other components of micro-litter (APFs), and small microplastics (SMPs <100 μm) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of five of the most widely distributed and consumed commercial fish species, Engraulis encrasiculos, Sardina pilchardus, Mullus surmuletus, Solea solea, and Sparus aurata. The second aim was to develop a simultaneous quantification and identification method via Micro-FTIR of APFs and SMPs ingested by these commercial fish species. The distribution of SMPs and APFs is characteristically different for each species investigated. E. encrasiculos and S. pilchardus had a higher weight of SMPs than the other species investigated. Regarding APFs, the highest abundance was observed in E. encrasiculos. This study highlights the importance of studying additives and plasticizers that can be used as efficient proxies of microplastics, as shown by the presence of vulcanizing agents such as Vanax®.
