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Hybrid Method Development for Extracting and Isolating Microplastics from Marine Sediments
Citation:
Langknecht, T., M. Cashman, K. Ho, AND R. Burgess. Hybrid Method Development for Extracting and Isolating Microplastics from Marine Sediments. Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 41st Annual Meeting, Virtual, Texas, November 15 - 19, 2020.
Impact/Purpose:
Microplastics are a contaminant of emerging concern in marine environments. Estimating microplastic abundance in sediments is crucial to understanding their impacts on the marine ecosystems; however, the current isolation methods vary greatly, making environmental implications difficult to assess. Therefore, methods development for isolation of microplastics from marine sediments is critical. The intended audience of this research includes state, local, and federal agencies interested in conducting microplastic research, as well as academic and private research institutions.
Description:
Microplastics ( 70%) as compared to the previous methods. This hybrid method will be used to analyze marine sediments from four U.S. EPA Regions across the USA representing the northeast (New England and New York), mid-Atlantic, and southern California. The isolated microplastic particles will then be analyzed for polymer identification using Raman spectroscopy. This hybrid method moves us closer to the establishment of a routine protocol for extracting, isolating, and identifying microplastics from marine sediments.
