Customized digestion protocols for copepods, euphausiids, chaetognaths and fish larvae facilitate the isolation of ingested microplastics.

ABSTRACT: Degradation of oceanic plastic waste leads to the formation of microplastics that are ingested by a wide range of animals. Yet, the amounts that are taken up, especially by small zooplankton, are largely unknown. This is mostly due to the complex methodology that is required for isolating ingested microplastics from organisms. We developed customised, effective and benign digestion protocols for four important zooplankton taxa (copepods, euphausiids, chaetognaths and fish larvae), and assessed their digestion efficacy and their potential to cause particle loss or to alter microplastics using six polymers (HDPE, LDPE, PS, PET, PVC, PMMA). All protocols are based on an incubation of the organic matrix with 10% KOH at 38 °C, which is optionally combined with digestive enzymes (chitinase, prot

SUBMITTER: Podbielski I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11358325 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature