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Testing of Different Digestion Solutions on Tissue Samples and the Effects of Used Potassium Hydroxide Solution on

Liesa Geppner1, Jakob Karaca1, Wencke Wegner2

  • 1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Danube Private University, Steiner Landstraße 124, 3500 Krems, Austria.

Toxics
|September 27, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Researchers developed a cost-effective, non-destructive method using potassium hydroxide (KOH) to isolate microplastics from organ tissues. This method efficiently dissolves diverse samples, preserving microplastic integrity for detection in the food chain.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Microplastic particles contaminate various environmental compartments, including air, water, soil, and the food chain.
  • The small size of microplastics raises concerns about their potential to enter the bloodstream and accumulate in organs.
  • Accurate detection of microplastics necessitates effective isolation techniques from biological matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a non-destructive, efficient, and affordable method for isolating microplastic particles from organ tissues.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of different digestion methods, including enzymatic and chemical treatments, for sample preparation.
  • To assess the impact of the chosen isolation method on the integrity of common microplastic types.

Main Methods:

  • Digestion of pig kidney, lung, liver, and brain samples using proteinase K, pepsin/pancreatin, and 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution.
  • Analysis of kidney samples via light microscopy.
  • Optimization of KOH:tissue ratios for lung, liver, and brain sample digestion.
  • Scanning electron microscopy to examine the effect of 10% KOH on polystyrene microplastics.

Main Results:

  • 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution proved most effective for dissolving diverse organ samples.
  • Enzymatic digestion methods require further optimization for microplastic isolation.
  • 1 µm polystyrene microplastics remained intact after 76 hours of incubation in 10% KOH solution.
  • KOH digestion is a simple, cost-effective method for processing organ samples.

Conclusions:

  • Potassium hydroxide (KOH) digestion offers a promising approach for the non-destructive isolation of microplastics from organ tissues.
  • This method has potential applications in analyzing microplastic contamination in meat products.
  • Further refinement of enzymatic methods may be necessary for specific applications.
Keywords:
1 µm polystyrene particlesenzymatic and alkaline digestionmethod developmentmicroplasticsorgan samples

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