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How could all that stuff be in my blank!?
Citation:
Ho, K., M. Cashman, S. Russo, AND R. Burgess. How could all that stuff be in my blank!? Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America (SETAC-NA) 39th Annual Meeting, Sacramento, CA, November 04 - 08, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Microplastic research is a rapidly expanding field. Many varying methods for the isolation, extraction and detection of microplastics exist. All methods have in common, the concern for sample contamination. Microplastic particles are ubiquitous around us from many sources including shedding fibers from synthetic material, abrasion of plastic articles and weathering of many plastic surfaces. This presentation discusses several methods for creating a research space that minimizes plastic contamination. These methods include filters on air handling systems, creation of a space wrapped in cotton cloth, use of cotton lab coats and cotton wipe cloths. These results are of interest to managers and scientists in Regions, States, Tribes and Programmatic Offices as they make decisions on the best methods to extract, isolate and identify microplastics.
Description:
Awareness of microplastics in our environment, and the commitment of research to understand their fate and effects is rapidly increasing. Accurate measurement of microplastics in environmental matrices is key to understanding sources, transport, sinks, and ultimately ecological effects and human exposure. As with any environmental contaminant, using and quantifying appropriate controls and blanks are essential to accurate measurements. Obtaining and maintaining quantifiable and acceptable blanks with microplastics often entail more and different procedures than conventional chemists and research scientists are accustomed. Clean laboratory and forensic approaches must be followed. For example, air handling systems, particularly older ones, need to be fitted with micron level filters, and the use of synthetic material (e.g., polyester clothing) which may shed fibers should be minimalized. This presentation will detail the steps taken to obtain a microplastic “clean” space in an old (40 year) marine research laboratory. Steps taken included “deep cleaning” of all horizontal surfaces in the laboratory space, application of hepa-filter air filtration, creation of a space wrapped in cotton cloth, use of a semi-enclosed water table (or working space), installation of a laminar flow hood, replacement of a synthetic microscope cover with one made of cotton, use of cotton lab coats and cotton wipe cloths, and addition of an air ionizing bar. Through these upgrades, operational blanks with only zero to two microplastic fibers were obtained routinely.