151
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Löder MGJ, Imhof HK, Ladehoff M, Löschel LA, Lorenz C, Mintenig S, Piehl S, Primpke S, Schrank I, Laforsch C, Gerdts G. Enzymatic Purification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:14283-14292. [PMID: 29110472 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b03055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 230] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Micro-Fourier transform infrared (micro-FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy enable the reliable identification and quantification of microplastics (MPs) in the lower micron range. Since concentrations of MPs in the environment are usually low, the large sample volumes required for these techniques lead to an excess of coenriched organic or inorganic materials. While inorganic materials can be separated from MPs using density separation, the organic fraction impedes the ability to conduct reliable analyses. Hence, the purification of MPs from organic materials is crucial prior to conducting an identification via spectroscopic techniques. Strong acidic or alkaline treatments bear the danger of degrading sensitive synthetic polymers. We suggest an alternative method, which uses a series of technical grade enzymes for purifying MPs in environmental samples. A basic enzymatic purification protocol (BEPP) proved to be efficient while reducing 98.3 ± 0.1% of the sample matrix in surface water samples. After showing a high recovery rate (84.5 ± 3.3%), the BEPP was successfully applied to environmental samples from the North Sea where numbers of MPs range from 0.05 to 4.42 items m-3. Experiences with different environmental sample matrices were considered in an improved and universally applicable version of the BEPP, which is suitable for focal plane array detector (FPA)-based micro-FTIR analyses of water, wastewater, sediment, biota, and food samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin G J Löder
- Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , P.O. Box 180, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
| | - Hannes K Imhof
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth , Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Maike Ladehoff
- Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , P.O. Box 180, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
| | - Lena A Löschel
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth , Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Claudia Lorenz
- Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , P.O. Box 180, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
| | - Svenja Mintenig
- Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , P.O. Box 180, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
| | - Sarah Piehl
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth , Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Sebastian Primpke
- Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , P.O. Box 180, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
| | - Isabella Schrank
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth , Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth , Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Gunnar Gerdts
- Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , P.O. Box 180, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
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152
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Devriese LI, De Witte B, Vethaak AD, Hostens K, Leslie HA. Bioaccumulation of PCBs from microplastics in Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus): An experimental study. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 186:10-16. [PMID: 28759812 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.07.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Plastic debris acts as a sorbent phase for hydrophobic organic compounds like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Chemical partitioning models predict that the ingestion of microplastics with adsorbed chemicals in the field will tend not to result in significant net desorption of the chemical to the organism's tissues. This is expected due to the often limited differences in fugacity of the chemical between the indigestible plastic materials and the tissues, which are typically already exposed in the same environment to the same chemicals as the plastic. However laboratory trials validating these model predictions are scarce. In this study, PCB-loaded microplastics were offered to field-collected Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) during in vivo feeding laboratory experiments. Each ingestion experiment was repeated with and without loading a mixture of ten PCB congeners onto plastic microspheres (MS) made of polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) with diameters of either 500-600 μm or 6 μm. We observed that the presence of chemicals adsorbed to ingested microplastics did not lead to significant bioaccumulation of the chemicals in the exposed organisms. There was a limited uptake of PCBs in Nephrops tail tissue after ingestion of PCB-loaded PE MS, while almost no PCBs were detected in animals exposed to PS MS. In general, our results demonstrated that after 3 weeks of exposure the ingestion of plastic MS themselves did not affect the nutritional state of wild Nephrops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa I Devriese
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit - Aquatic Environment and Quality, Ankerstraat 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium; Dept. of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean Site, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Ostend, Belgium.
| | - Bavo De Witte
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit - Aquatic Environment and Quality, Ankerstraat 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium.
| | - A Dick Vethaak
- Deltares, Postbus 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands; Dept. of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Kris Hostens
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit - Aquatic Environment and Quality, Ankerstraat 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium.
| | - Heather A Leslie
- Dept. of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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153
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Naji A, Esmaili Z, Mason SA, Dick Vethaak A. The occurrence of microplastic contamination in littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf, Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:20459-20468. [PMID: 28710727 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-9587-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs; <5 mm) in aquatic environments are an emerging contaminant of concern due to their possible ecological and biological consequences. This study addresses that MP quantification and morphology to assess the abundance, distribution, and polymer types in littoral surface sediments of the Persian Gulf were performed. A two-step method, with precautions taken to avoid possible airborne contamination, was applied to extract MPs from sediments collected at five sites during low tide. MPs were found in 80% of the samples. Across all sites, fiber particles were the most dominate shape (88%), followed by films (11.2%) and fragments (0.8%). There were significant differences in MP particle concentration between sampling sites (p value <0.05). The sediments with the highest numbers of MPs were from sites in the vicinity of highly populated centers and municipal effluent discharges. FTIR analysis showed that polyethylene (PE), nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the most abundant polymer types. More than half of the observed MPs (56%) were in the size category of 1-4.7 mm length, with the remaining particles (44%) being in the size range of 10 μm to <1 mm. Compared to literature data from other regions, intertidal sediments in the Persian Gulf cannot be characterized as a hot spot for MP pollution. The present study could, however, provide useful background information for further investigations and management policies to understand the sources, transport, and potential effects on marine life in the Persian Gulf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abolfazl Naji
- Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
| | - Zinat Esmaili
- Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Sherri A Mason
- Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences, State University of New York at Fredonia, 280 Central Avenue, Fredonia, New York, 14063, USA
| | - A Dick Vethaak
- Deltares, Postbus 177, 2600 MH, Delf, The Netherlands
- Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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154
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Kedzierski M, Le Tilly V, Bourseau P, Bellegou H, César G, Sire O, Bruzaud S. Microplastics elutriation system. Part A: Numerical modeling. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 119:151-161. [PMID: 28476354 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The elutriation process has shown its efficiency to extract microplastics from sand and began to spread in the scientific community. This extraction technic requires knowing with accuracy the extraction velocities of particles. This study aims to test whether numerical modeling could help to calculate these velocities. From hydrodynamic equations, a numerical model has been developed and the outputs are compared to experimental extraction data. The results show, for the calculated velocities, the experimental plastic extraction yields will be higher than 90% for <10% of sand contamination. The model also allows determining that, with the actual protocol, the maximum plastic density which can be extracted is about 1450kg·m-3 whereas the detrimental resuspension, which may occur during the column filling step, is highlighted. From model calculations, it arises that changes in the column dimensioning and the protocol operations need to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patrick Bourseau
- Université Bretagne Sud, IRDL FRE CNRS 3744, 56100 Lorient, France; Université de Nantes, CNRS GEPEA UMR 6144, 44602 Saint-Nazaire, France
| | - Hervé Bellegou
- Université Bretagne Sud, IRDL FRE CNRS 3744, 56100 Lorient, France
| | - Guy César
- SERPBIO, Université Bretagne-Sud, 56321 Lorient, France
| | - Olivier Sire
- Université Bretagne Sud, IRDL FRE CNRS 3744, 56100 Lorient, France
| | - Stéphane Bruzaud
- Université Bretagne Sud, IRDL FRE CNRS 3744, 56100 Lorient, France.
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155
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Hartmann NB, Rist S, Bodin J, Jensen LH, Schmidt SN, Mayer P, Meibom A, Baun A. Microplastics as vectors for environmental contaminants: Exploring sorption, desorption, and transfer to biota. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2017; 13:488-493. [PMID: 28440931 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 321] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence and effects of microplastics (MPs) in the aquatic environment are receiving increasing attention. In addition to their possible direct adverse effects on biota, the potential role of MPs as vectors for hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs), compared to natural pathways, is a topic of much debate. It is evident, however, that temporal and spatial variations of MP occurrence do (and will) occur. To further improve the estimations of the role of MPs as vectors for HOC transfer into biota under varying MP concentrations and environmental conditions, it is important to identify and understand the governing processes. Here, we explore HOC sorption to and desorption from MPs and the underlying principles for their interactions. We discuss intrinsic and extrinsic parameters influencing these processes and focus on the importance of the exposure route for diffusive mass transfer. Also, we outline research needed to fill knowledge gaps and improve model-based calculations of MP-facilitated HOC transfer in the environment. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:488-493. © 2017 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna B Hartmann
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sinja Rist
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Julia Bodin
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Louise Hs Jensen
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stine N Schmidt
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anders Meibom
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anders Baun
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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156
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A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44501. [PMID: 28300146 PMCID: PMC5353725 DOI: 10.1038/srep44501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 354] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
A new approach is presented for analysis of microplastics in environmental samples, based on selective fluorescent staining using Nile Red (NR), followed by density-based extraction and filtration. The dye adsorbs onto plastic surfaces and renders them fluorescent when irradiated with blue light. Fluorescence emission is detected using simple photography through an orange filter. Image-analysis allows fluorescent particles to be identified and counted. Magnified images can be recorded and tiled to cover the whole filter area, allowing particles down to a few micrometres to be detected. The solvatochromic nature of Nile Red also offers the possibility of plastic categorisation based on surface polarity characteristics of identified particles. This article details the development of this staining method and its initial cross-validation by comparison with infrared (IR) microscopy. Microplastics of different sizes could be detected and counted in marine sediment samples. The fluorescence staining identified the same particles as those found by scanning a filter area with IR-microscopy.
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157
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Imhof HK, Laforsch C. Hazardous or not - Are adult and juvenile individuals of Potamopyrgus antipodarum affected by non-buoyant microplastic particles? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 218:383-391. [PMID: 27431695 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic has been ubiquitously detected in freshwater ecosystems. A variety of freshwater organisms were shown to ingest microplastic particles, while a high potential for adverse effects are expected. However, studies addressing the effect of microplastic in freshwater species are still scarce compared to studies on marine organisms. In order to gain further insights into possible adverse effects of microplastic particles on freshwater invertebrates and to set the base for further experiments we exposed the mud snail (Potampoyrgus antipodarum) to a large range of common and environmentally relevant non-buoyant polymers (polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride). The impact of these polymers was tested by performing two exposure experiments with irregular shaped microplastic particles with a broad size distribution in a low (30%) and a high microplastic dose (70%) in the food. First, possible effects on adult P. antipodarum were assessed by morphological and life-history parameters. Second, the effect of the same mixture on the development of juvenile P. antipodarum until maturity was analyzed. Adult P. antipodarum showed no morphological changes after the exposure to the microplastic particles, even if supplied in a high dose. Moreover, although P. antipodarum is an established model organism and reacts especially sensitive to endocrine active substances no effects on embryogenesis were detected. Similarly, the juvenile development until maturity was not affected. Considering, that most studies showing effects on marine and freshwater invertebrates mostly exposed their experimental organisms to very small (≤20 μm) polystyrene microbeads, we anticipate that these effects may be highly dependent on the chemical composition of the polymer itself and the size and shape of the particles. Therefore, more studies are necessary to enable the identification of harmful synthetic polymers as some of them may be problematic and should be declared as hazardous whereas others may have relatively moderate or no effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes K Imhof
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany; Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Department of Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
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