Microplastic quantification in Sabellaria reefs: a validated protocol for extraction from biogenic agglutinated...

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Microplastic pollution is a pervasive threat to marine ecosystems, especially coastal habitats.
• Sedentary reef-building organisms, like Sabellariid polychaetes, create arenaceous reefs that trap microplastics.
• Existing methods for quantifying microplastics in these complex matrices are not standardized, hindering accurate assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a reliable, reproducible protocol for extracting and quantifying microplastics from biogenic agglutinated matrices.
• To address the gap in standardized methodologies for microplastic analysis in arenaceous reefs.
• To improve the accuracy of microplastic quantification in coastal bioengineered habitats.

Main Methods:

• Development of a multistep protocol involving digestion and density extraction.
• Validation using spiking experiments with known quantities of common plastic polymers (polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride).
• Analysis of microplastic integrity using scanning electron microscopy and µ-Raman spectroscopy.
• Comparison of sodium iodide (NaI) and sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions for density extraction.

Main Results:

• The developed protocol successfully extracts microplastics from agglutinated matrices.
• Digestion procedures did not alter the chemical integrity of the plastic polymers.
• Sodium iodide (NaI) solution demonstrated significantly higher microplastic recovery compared to sodium chloride (NaCl).
• NaCl recovery was affected by sample weight, indicating potential matrix interference.

Conclusions:

• The validated protocol offers a cost-effective and reproducible method for microplastic quantification in agglutinated matrices.
• This methodology advances the standardization of microplastic pollution monitoring in coastal bioengineered environments.
• The use of NaI is recommended for improved efficiency in microplastic extraction from these matrices.