Detecting Microplastic Contamination with Nile Red | InformativeBD

Ruvina T. Castillo and Justin Dumale, from the different institute of the Philippines. wrote a research article about, Detecting Microplastic Contamination with Nile Red. entitled, Rapid detection of microplastic contamination using Nile red fluorescent tagging. This research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences (IJB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biosciences. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | NNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

This study delves into the evaluation of fluorescent lights staining microscopy and its efficiency in cross validation by comparison with light microscopy. Rapid detection of microplastics of various sizes can be distinguished in assessing coastal marine sediment. A development of a novel approach in rapid detection is employed for analysis of coastal marine sediment microplastic contamination, based on fluorescent tagging using Nile Red (NR), separated by density-based extraction using Zinc Chloride (ZnCl2) and filtration. The fluorescent staining tags onto microplastic to fluorescent, aides with excitation of blue light and color filters. Fluorescence excitation is detected using simple smartphone photography through a polarizer filter. Rapid detection using light microscopy allows fluorescent particles to be identified and counted in image-analysis. The study used a paired sample t-test to compare particle counts across five mesh sizes, revealing minimal too little to no significant differences between fluoresced and suspected MPs particles, indicating a novel detection process with greater selectivity and fluorescence intensity.

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Introduction

The Philippines is an archipelagic country which consists of 7,641 islands and has an extensive and diverse coastline. It boasts as one of the longest coastlines in the world with a measure of approximately 36,000 kilometers (22,370 miles). This coastline encompasses a wide variety of features ranging from pristine beaches to rugged cliffs and rocky shores. These coastal areas play a crucial role in the country's culture, economy, and ecology as they provide habitat to numerous fish species, marine life, and migratory birds. It also serves as hubs for trade, tourism, and agriculture. However, with high level of tourism and recreational activities in the area such as fishing, swimming, sailing, and snorkeling may lead to have larger amount of plastic waste that can pollute and contaminate the marine environment (Chaisanguansuk et al., 2023)

Plastics and other synthetic, non-biodegradable pollutants, which are often referred to as “marine debris,” have been contaminating and polluting the world’s enclosed seas, coastal waters, and the wider open oceans for the past five or six decades (Gregory, 2009). The hazard posed by plastic waste is significant because it starves and suffocates wildlife, distributes invasive and possibly dangerous species, absorbs toxic chemicals, and breaks down into microplastics that can be ingested (Barnes et al., 2009). These microscopic particles, also known as microplastic which are smaller than 5 mm in size, are present in many different environments. It poses a threat to the ecosystem due to their small size (millimeters or less), it is accessible to a variety of organisms with the ability to cause both physical and toxicological harm (Law and Thompson, 2014). Microplastics can be swallowed by low-trophic feeders, filters, and deposits, as well as by detritivores and plankton-eating organisms. As a result, they can build up inside organisms and cause physical damage, like internal abrasions or blockages. Aside from the physical damage, microplastics can also leach into the environment, where they can cause cancer or endocrine disruption (Wright, 2013).

Even though microplastic contamination affects biota, the environment, and public health significantly, it is a difficult problem to solve since it is so pervasive, and the specific adverse consequences of both long-term and short-term exposure are unknown (Savuca, 2022). Because of the growing worries about the amount of marine plastic waste and the effects it has had on marine ecosystems, marine plastic debris pollution has been identified as a global concern (Mu et al., 2019).

This study serves as baseline studies in microplastic contamination in the coastal environment in sediments of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan. This study generally aimed to identify the presence of microplastic contamination along the coastlines in sediments of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan. Specifically, it aimed to detect microplastic contamination using Nile Red fluorescence along the coastlines in sediments of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan and to assess the efficacy of Nile Red fluorescence in staining for rapid detection of microplastics along the coastline of Anda, Northwestern Pangasinan. 

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