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Microplastics (MPs) are defined as plastic pieces in the size range <5mm. While the upper size limit is accepted and used in most of the studies, the lower size limit is extremely variable. It is generally determined by the mesh size when nets are used for sampling and range around 300 μm.
After MPs are collected with the Manta net, they are kept in a mix of seawater and 70% Ethanol. They are then treated with a digester to remove the organic matter (OM), and subsequently with NaCl to perform a density separation which exploit the difference in density between plastic and OM.
The sample poured in a Petri dish is ready to be analyzed at the stereomicroscope.
Is it plastic?
Is it plastic?
The first step in the characterization of MPs is to distinguish MPs pieces from organic matter.
Which type and color ?
Which type and color ?
After it follows the establishment of the color and the type (film, fragment, filament, etc..)
Let's measure it
Let's measure it
In the end, the size of each MPs piece is measured using the graduated scale inside the microscope lent.
What we obtain after hours at the microscope, listening to podcasts is...
What we obtain after hours at the microscope, listening to podcasts is...
An Excel sheet with the data
An Excel sheet with the data
These data will be used to calculate the MPs concentrations knowing the volume of water filtered with the Manta net.
An organized glass Petri dish with MPs
An organized glass Petri dish with MPs
The MPs pieces will be sent to another lab in Palermo for chemical analysis.
Discovering which are the MPs concentrations and the most abundant polymers found in the water can help us in reducing the inputs of plastic in the ocean.
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