The application of tape lifting for microplastic pollution monitoring

Microplastics (MPs) are man-made polymer particles in the size range 1 μm to 5 mm. They have been proven be present all of Earth's environments through extensive global studies. Such studies regularly involve isolation MPs from water or other media using a filtration method. then commonly analysed for and type, either situ on filter after removal it by hand picking. These approaches provide opportunity accidental loss such do nothing protect sample contamination, whilst hand-picking papers is also time consuming. The analysis frequently focusses solely one technique rarely facilitates full characterisation MPs. This paper sets out workflow that addresses these shortcomings. Tape lifting (a forensic approach particulate recovery) at heart this workflow. uses self-adhesive tape recover interest results lift which those held between sheet suitable material. In proposed workflow, EasyliftⓇ glass. offers significant saving field, allowing more samples taken. It creates secure environment reproducible research preserving future study. To investigate recovery rate EasyliftⓇ, simulation experiment was conducted, tested glass fibre cellulose ceramic glass-frit Büchner funnels. found filters onto had mean 96.4% (sn-1 = 3.5 percentage points, n 12) with evidence both type funnel effect there an interaction factors. addition, investigated; 92.1% 4.1 no used influenced rate. explores EasyliftⓇ’s attributes facilitate enabling they within lift. compatible wide non-destructive analytical techniques including polarized light microscopy (PLM), confocal Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, microspectrophotometry (MSP) hyperspectral compatibility explored paper. allows fully characterised their morphological, optical chemical properties, providing further information about can aid source identification detection MP features may affect ecotoxicological effects.