期刊
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
卷 655, 期 -, 页码 567-570出版社
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.261
关键词
Microplastics; Analytical methods; Detection probability; Observer error
资金
- Rhodes University Grant
- Claude Leon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
- National Research Foundation of South Africa [88414, 88746]
The quantification of microplastics in environmental samples often requires an observer to determine whether a particle is plastic or non-plastic, prior to further verification procedures. This implies that inconspicuous microplastics with a low natural detection may be underestimated. The present study aimed at assessing this underestimation, looking at how colour (white, green and blue), size (large; similar to 1000 mu m and small; <400 mu m) and grain size fraction may affect detection. Sediment treatments varying in grain size were inoculated with known quantities of low-density polyethylene microbeads extracted from commercially bought facial scrubs. These microbeads varied in colour and size. Once extracted using a density separation method microbeads were counted. An overall underestimation of 78.59% may be a result of observer error and/or technical error. More specifically, the results suggested that microbeads varying in colour and size have a different detection probability and that these microbead features are more important in underestimation likelihoods than grain sizes. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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