Towards quality-assured measurements of microplastics in soil using fluorescence microscopy DOI Creative Commons

Quynh Nhu Phan Le,

Crispin Halsall, Stoyana Peneva

et al.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 10, 2025

Abstract Fluorescence microscopy is increasingly seen as a fast, user-friendly, and high-throughput method for detecting microplastics (MPs) in soil; however, its effectiveness across diverse MP types soil properties remains underexplored. This study tested fluorescence microscopy–Nile red (NR) staining approach on eight types, covering both biodegradable non-biodegradable plastics, three size ranges (≤ 150 µm, 100–250 500–1000 µm) loamy, clayey, sandy soils. Each sample, processed triplicate, underwent relatively quick straightforward extraction procedure involving density separation, organic digestion, NR staining, followed by bright-field microscopy. A new digital image analysis pipeline using Image J was developed to expedite (semi)automate quantification. Recoveries ranged from 80% 90% MPs with Feret diameter of regardless type. In contrast, the recovery smaller (Feret dia. ≤ 250 varied depending soils plastic types: recoveries low-density polyethylene (LDPE) reached 85% loamy soil, whereas those polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid (PBAT/PLA) were only 60% 10%, respectively. The lowest rate observed clayey plastics. non-agricultural samples, yielding mean number concentration 20.7 ± 9.0 MPs/g sized ≥ 25 comparable Fourier transform infrared (FPA-µ-FTIR) results 13.1 7.3 ( p > 0.05). We conclude that automated particle quantification offers time-efficient, reproducible, accurate detection light-textured soils, limitations remain reliable clay-dominated Graphical

Language: Английский

Towards quality-assured measurements of microplastics in soil using fluorescence microscopy DOI Creative Commons

Quynh Nhu Phan Le,

Crispin Halsall, Stoyana Peneva

et al.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 10, 2025

Abstract Fluorescence microscopy is increasingly seen as a fast, user-friendly, and high-throughput method for detecting microplastics (MPs) in soil; however, its effectiveness across diverse MP types soil properties remains underexplored. This study tested fluorescence microscopy–Nile red (NR) staining approach on eight types, covering both biodegradable non-biodegradable plastics, three size ranges (≤ 150 µm, 100–250 500–1000 µm) loamy, clayey, sandy soils. Each sample, processed triplicate, underwent relatively quick straightforward extraction procedure involving density separation, organic digestion, NR staining, followed by bright-field microscopy. A new digital image analysis pipeline using Image J was developed to expedite (semi)automate quantification. Recoveries ranged from 80% 90% MPs with Feret diameter of regardless type. In contrast, the recovery smaller (Feret dia. ≤ 250 varied depending soils plastic types: recoveries low-density polyethylene (LDPE) reached 85% loamy soil, whereas those polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid (PBAT/PLA) were only 60% 10%, respectively. The lowest rate observed clayey plastics. non-agricultural samples, yielding mean number concentration 20.7 ± 9.0 MPs/g sized ≥ 25 comparable Fourier transform infrared (FPA-µ-FTIR) results 13.1 7.3 ( p > 0.05). We conclude that automated particle quantification offers time-efficient, reproducible, accurate detection light-textured soils, limitations remain reliable clay-dominated Graphical

Language: Английский

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