From sieve to microscope : An efficient technique for sample transfer in the process of microplastics' quantification

Titelangaben

Prume, Julia A. ; Gorka, Felix ; Löder, Martin G. J.:
From sieve to microscope : An efficient technique for sample transfer in the process of microplastics' quantification.
In: MethodsX. Bd. 8 (2021) . - 101341.
ISSN 2215-0161
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2021.101341

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Abstract

In the field of microplastics’ quantification, efficient and reproducible methodology is still needed. Procedures of sample fractionation and transfer are often insufficiently reported, although fractionating a sample in similarly sized particles is a crucial prerequisite for the subsequent detection and identification process. At the same time, fractionation is error-prone as particles can be lost during transfer between different vessels. This article presents a four-step technique of sample preparation and microscopic examination, suited for different kind of environmental samples (e.g., water, sediment, soil): The sample is size-fractionated in a sieve cascade (I), rinsed from the sieve and vacuum-filtrated onto a filter (II), rinsed from the filter into a glass petri dish with a low amount of water (III), and examined under the microscope in wet or dry condition (IV). The technique manages on standard laboratory equipment and is reliable for fragments > 300 µm: In a validation experiment with polypropylene, the average recovery was 94 ± 13.5 % (arithmetic mean ± standard deviation) and 100 % (median), respectively.

•Reliable sample transfer after wet-sieving

•Concentration of the pretreated sample in a very small amount of water

•Usage of transmitted light in microscopy