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Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris
Published on: July 28, 2018
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Comparison of two procedures for microplastics analysis in sediments based on an interlaboratory exercise
Troy Langknecht1, Wenjian Lao2, Charles S Wong2
1Oak Ridge Institute of Science Education, C/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/CEMM Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA.
Chemosphere
|December 13, 2022
Summary
Standardizing microplastic (MP) analysis in sediments is crucial. This study found that visual identification is unreliable, but spectroscopy is accurate, revealing lower MP recovery rates than previously thought.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Microplastics (MP) contaminate ecosystems, accumulating in sediments.
- Benthic communities face potential threats from sediment-associated MP.
- Standardized methods for quantifying MP in sediments are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare two MP extraction and identification methods in sediments.
- To identify limitations and recommend improvements for MP analysis.
- To inform regulatory bodies on environmental MP monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Two laboratories analyzed sediment samples using
- core
- and
- augmentation
- methods.
- Particles were identified using visual microscopy and spectroscopy (Raman and FTIR).
- Method performance, including extraction and identification, was quantified.
Main Results:
- The
- augmentation
- method showed significantly higher visual recovery (78%) than the
- core
- method (47%).
- Spectroscopic recovery was lower (42-54%), suggesting visual overestimations.
- Raman and FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated high accuracy (96.7% and 99.8%) for MP identification.
Conclusions:
- Visual identification alone is inaccurate for MP in complex matrices like sediment.
- Low spectroscopic recovery indicates MP recovery from sediments is underestimated.
- Accurate MP quantification in sediments requires robust, validated methods for reliable environmental monitoring.
