Simple and cost-effective method for microplastic quantification in estuarine sediment: A case study of the Santos and São Vicente Estuarine System

Abstract

Sediment is a useful environmental compartment in the evaluation and monitoring of microplastics (i.e., plastic particles between 1 ​μm and 5 ​mm in length) in aquatic environments, since 70% of plastic waste is deposited on the ocean floor, in riverbeds, and on the bottom of estuaries. The techniques typically used to separate and quantify microplastics require extensive sample preparation and are often ineffective for estuarine sediment samples. In this study, we present a new method for separating and quantifying microplastics found in estuarine sediment samples. This procedure involves sediment collection, drying, sieving (2.0, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.25 ​mm mesh sizes), and stereomicroscopic examination of the samples retained in each sieve. The results were measured as microplastic abundance (particles g-1 of sediment). This method allows researchers to estimate total microplastic abundance and distribution at the sieve meshes tested, calculate thread/fiber and fragment proportions, and separate microplastic samples for subsequent Py-GC/MS analysis in order to identify their respective compositions. This method was found to be effective in precluding the need for solvents and reducing the amount of time required for sample preparation. For these reasons, this method is more cost-effective and generates less environmental impact than those currently available.