You are here:
Association of Public Health Laboratories Microplastics Webinar
Citation:
Ho, K. AND R. Burgess. Association of Public Health Laboratories Microplastics Webinar. APHL Webinar - Microplastics: The Current State of the Regulations and Science, NA, RI, June 08, 2023.
Impact/Purpose:
This short 10 min presentation hosted by the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) covers EPA historical and future research on micro/ nano plastics. It sets the stage for public laboratory scientists to discuss laboratory methodology and the feasibility of MP analysis in their laboratories.
Description:
The objective of the USEPA’s Microplastic (MP) research has been to standardize and develop methods to extract MP from environmental matrices particularly for sediments. Analysis of MP is complicated due to their heterogeneous nature and three order magnitude size range from the millimeter to the nanometer scale. Sediments most likely serve as the ultimate sink for MPs. The sediment matrix is difficult because of the high levels of carbon and minerals with similar density and often visual appearance to MP. Sediment analyzes indicate that methods most likely underrepresent the number of MP in sediments. Standardized methods and attention to quality assurance and quality control are key to increasing acceptable levels of recovery.
