Figure 2 - uploaded by Win Colton Cowger
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A screenshot of the Mind Map (LINK) showing the components and flow of reporting guidelines for microplastic studies. The first nodes branching off of "Microplastic Reporting Guidelines" are the general groups of the guidelines, subgroups follow in bold until the second to last nodes are the reporting guidelines (in italic) and the terminal node is the description of the guideline
Source publication
The ubiquitous pollution of the environment with microplastics, a diverse suite of contaminants, is of growing concern for science and currently receives considerable public, political, and academic attention. The potential impact of microplastics in the environment has prompted a great deal of research in recent years. Many diverse methods have be...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... they were not already accounted for, we added them to the reporting guidelines and indicated those additions using an asterisk throughout the produced documents. The final reporting guidelines were packaged into three documents which have the same information summarized with specific user groups in mind: (i) thorough, a Detailed Document, (ii) quick and simple, a Checklist (Table I), and (iii) interactive, an online Mind Map (Figure 2). ...
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... three documents we created of the reporting guidelines include a (i) Detailed Document, (ii) Checklist (Table I), and (iii) online Mind Map (Figure 2). Each document has the same information summarized with different users in mind. ...
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... Mind Map (Supplemental Material 3; LINK; OSF; Figure 2) was developed because we recognized a need to have many intermediate levels of detail between the detail provided by the Detailed Document and the Checklist. Interactive mind map documents allow the user to query to the level of detail they need quickly. ...
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... samples. Muffling, thermal destruction of microplastics, can be used to treat glassware (500°C) but may be limited to small glassware. Rinsing -using filtered reverse osmosis or Milli-Q water can also be employed to remove residual microplastic particles before use. Whatever method is used it should be thoroughly described. Examples: (Tanaka and Takada 2016) containment used (e.g. laminar flow cabinet/hoods, glove bags) Containment devices like laminar flow hoods, glove bags and other enclosed devices decrease contamination. Without containment, small fragments and fibers can contaminate the samples Lorenz et al. 2019). Not all containment devices have the same capabilities , it is thus very important to use and describe containment devices used to ...
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... they were not already accounted for, we added them to the 198 reporting guidelines and indicated those additions using an asterisk throughout the 199 produced documents. The final reporting guidelines were packaged into three 200 documents which have the same information summarized with specific user groups in mind: 1) thorough -a Detailed Document, 2) quick and simple -a Checklist (Table 1), 202 and 3) interactive -an online Mind Map (Figure 2). 203 ...
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... 216 The three documents we created of the reporting guidelines include a 1) Detailed 217 Document, 2) Checklist (Table 1), and 3) online Mind Map (Figure 2). Each document 218 has the same information summarized with different users in mind. ...
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... they were not already accounted for, we added them to the reporting guidelines and indicated those additions using an asterisk throughout the produced documents. The final reporting guidelines were packaged into three documents which have the same information summarized with specific user groups in mind: (i) thorough, a Detailed Document, (ii) quick and simple, a Checklist (Table I), and (iii) interactive, an online Mind Map (Figure 2). ...
Context 8
... three documents we created of the reporting guidelines include a (i) Detailed Document, (ii) Checklist (Table I), and (iii) online Mind Map (Figure 2). Each document has the same information summarized with different users in mind. ...
Context 9
... Mind Map (Supplemental Material 3; LINK; OSF; Figure 2) was developed because we recognized a need to have many intermediate levels of detail between the detail provided by the Detailed Document and the Checklist. Interactive mind map documents allow the user to query to the level of detail they need quickly. ...
Context 10
... samples. Muffling, thermal destruction of microplastics, can be used to treat glassware (500°C) but may be limited to small glassware. Rinsing -using filtered reverse osmosis or Milli-Q water can also be employed to remove residual microplastic particles before use. Whatever method is used it should be thoroughly described. Examples: (Tanaka and Takada 2016) containment used (e.g. laminar flow cabinet/hoods, glove bags) Containment devices like laminar flow hoods, glove bags and other enclosed devices decrease contamination. Without containment, small fragments and fibers can contaminate the samples Lorenz et al. 2019). Not all containment devices have the same capabilities , it is thus very important to use and describe containment devices used to ...
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After the launch of multiple plans for Open Science, there is now a need for an accurate method or tool to monitor the Open Science trends and in particular Open Access (OA) trends. We address this requirement with a methodology that we developed and tested for France, but that could be extended to other countries. Only open data and information av...
Citations
... This paper describes the unique MP monitoring dataset of the Seine River including 1) an overview of MP occurrence in the Seine between July 2021 and July 2022 based on four sampling campaigns, 2) data on physical water parameters, 3) data on hydrological conditions including a water balance, and 4) data on potential sewer point sources. This dataset provides comprehensive data reporting to foster cross-study comparisons (Cowger et al., 2020). ...
This data paper presents microplastic (MP) concentration and composition data from four campaigns in a one-year period in the Seine River within the Greater Paris area. Detailed data on MP occurrence, physical water parameters, hydrological conditions, and potential sewer point sources are presented. Initial analysis of the data set shows that MP concentrations were significant (median: 600 particles m⁻³ and 100 mg m⁻³) and MP fluxes showed variations across sampling sites and campaigns. Three polymer types (polypropylene - PP, polyethylene - PE, polystyrene - PS) account for 96% of the total number of MP. This dataset provides valuable insights for understanding river MP pollution under anthropogenic pressure.
... Checklist of necessary information for conducting and reporting environmental microplastics research, adapted fromCowger et al. (2020). * indicates compulsory items to be reported.Materials & Equipment usedDevices/equipment & manufacturers i.e., Rosette sampler niskin bottles Software i.e., N/A How were the devices and software calibrated i.e., N/A Defined and clear limit of detection (e.g., microplastic size constraints) i.e., Detection limit 20 mm * Actions taken for contamination mitigation i.e., For field procedures cotton clothing was worn by operators and niskin bottles were rinsed with ultrapure water between sample collection. ...
Microplastic and nanoplastic sampling and reporting guide
... All Py-GC/MS based results were corrected for negative controls and corrected for the daily drift using bracketing standards. For details on the general contamination control, setup and quality control for Py-GC/MS following reporting guidelines by Cowger et al. (2020) see Supplementary Material S3. ...
Sewage sludge applications release contaminants to agricultural soils, such as potentially toxic metals and microplastics (MPs). However, factors determining the subsequent mobility of MPs in long-term field conditions are poorly understood. This study aimed to understand the vertical distribution of MPs in soils amended with sewage sludge in comparison to conventional mineral fertiliser for 24 years. The depth-dependent MP mass and number concentrations, plastic types, sizes and shapes were compared with the distribution of organic carbon and metals to provide insights into potentially transport-limiting factors. Polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene mass concentrations were screened down to 90 cm depth via pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. MP number concentrations, additional plastic types, sizes, and shapes were analysed down to 40 cm depth using micro-Fourier transform-infrared imaging. Across all depths, MP numbers were twice and mass concentrations 8 times higher when sewage sludge was applied, with a higher share of textile-related plastics, more fibres and on average larger particles than in soil receiving mineral fertiliser. Transport of MPs beyond the plough layer (0–20 cm) is often assumed negligible, but substantial MP numbers (42 %) and mass (52 %) were detected down to 70 cm in sewage sludge-amended soils. The initial mobilization of MPs was shape- and size-dependent, because the fractions of fragmental-shaped and relatively small MPs increased directly below the plough layer, but not at greater depths. The sharp decline of total MP concentrations between 20 and 40 cm depth resembled that of metals and organic matter suggesting similar transport limitations. We hypothesize that the effect of soil management, such as ploughing, on soil compactness and subsequent transport by bioturbation and via macropores drives vertical MP distribution over long time scales. Risk assessment in soils should therefore account for considerable MP displacement to avoid underestimating soil exposure.
... Gopinath et al., 2020;Neelavannan et al., 2022;Tsering et al., 2022) but more evidence is needed to understand how transferable those results are to other parts of India and the world. Additionally, efforts are being made among the scientific community to standardise sampling, sample processing, polymer identification and reporting steps (Cowger et al., 2020) or at least improve the breadth of the information on the techniques used and uncertainties encountered during each of these steps (sampling, processing, enumeration and polymer identification). Some of the discussed studies (Anagha et al., 2023;Immanuvel David et al., 2023;Kumar et al., 2024) clearly provide insufficient information on aspects such as lower size limits of particles identifiable during sampling or polymer identification, typical particle recovery rates during sampling and sample processing, or more specific information on imaging instruments and spectral databases used during polymer identification. ...
... Uncertainties in the analysis of MPs arise from a range of different factors including: i) field sampling techniques and the initial sample size, (ii) lab procedures and techniques used to dry, sieve, and filter samples to extract and isolate MPs, as well as sample storage, (iii) differences in counting and measuring techniques and technology used during MP enumeration and polymer identification, and (iv) inconsistent units used in MPs quantification and reporting (Cowger et al., 2020;Ivleva et al., 2017). ...
Study region: Indian inland aquatic ecosystems.
Study focus: Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as emerging contaminants, potentially impacting public and ecosystem health. This comprehensive review discusses the current state of knowledge on MP contamination and mechanistic process understanding in Indian inland aquatic ecosystems. It highlights knowledge gaps regarding current MP data and discusses methodological differences in MP sampling and sample processing that can lead to contrasting results.
New hydrological insight for the region: Most studies reviewed here have provided evidence of MP contamination in water, sediment and certain indicator species of inland aquatic ecosystems at specific locations and times. Significant seasonal variations in MP concentrations have been identified for pre-, during and post-monsoon periods. We found that only a few of the reviewed studies have considered the inherent spatio-temporal variability of MP concentrations, and the intricate interplay with hydrological key parameters has largely been overlooked. However, in order to improve our understanding of how MPs are transported within these aquatic ecosystems (e.g., river networks) and decide on potential pollution mitigation, it is imperative to link data on MP concentration and physico-chemical characteristics with key hydrological information such as flow velocity or discharge. This will provide information on MP loads and help to establish loading functions for these aquatic ecosystems that are needed to better understand the impacts of MP pollution on public and ecosystem health.
... To this end, the sample was sputter-coated with a thin layer of platinum (~6 nm) to increase the conductivity. The accelerate voltage was 10-20 kV with a working distance ~10 mm [26]. ...
... Microplastics have various effects on aquatic organisms. However, there are no standard methods to determine or measure this (Cowger et al., 2020;GESAMP, 2019;Goswami et al., 2020). The most commonly found effects of MPs include but are not limited to, false satiation, oxidative stress, and decreased growth and survival (Batel et al., 2016;Cole et al., 2015;Mallik et al., 2021;Naidoo and Glassom, 2019;Sussarellu et al., 2016;Welden and Cowie, 2016). ...
Comparative microplastic (MP) data for cephalopods between oceans is scarce. Our aim was to quantify, char-acterise, and compare MPs in gills, digestive gland, and mantle of chokka squid from the South Atlantic Ocean (SAO) and Indian Ocean (IO) off the coast of South Africa. South African squid had more MPs compared with other studies (means = 2.0 and 0.4 in SAO and IO squid mantle, respectively). Blue fibres were dominant. Identifiable MPs were polyethylene. Despite IO water having higher MP concentrations than the SAO, SAO squid had higher MP concentrations. Dilution by growth is the likely reason for the lower MP concentrations. Fibres were shorter in SAO than IO squid. However, we could not explain why fibre and mantle lengths from both oceans were positively correlated. Squid may not be the best indicator of marine MPs. The characteristics of MPs in squid can be used to track stocks and migrations.
... Stringent actions were rigorously implemented during the work to ensure the prevention of contamination, enhance reproducibility, and enable comparisons with earlier studies (Cowger et al. 2020;Prata et al. 2021). To safeguard against air contamination, all analytic measures were performed in a Thermo Heraguard ECO Laminar Flow Hood by Thermo Fisher. ...
Microplastic (MP) contamination in seafood, particularly processed varieties like dried and salt-cured fish, poses a significant threat to human health. This study investigated MP levels in 22 salt-cured fish species and commercial sea salts along the Indian east coast. Results showed substantially higher MP concentrations compared to global averages, with fragments and fibres (< 250 µm) composing 70% of identified MPs, primarily PVC and PS polymers (> 55%). Station 2 exhibited high pollution levels, with salt-cured fish averaging 54.06 ± 14.48 MP items/g and salt containing 23.53 ± 4.2 MP items/g, indicating a high hazard risk index. A modest correlation was observed between MP abundance, morphotypes, polymer composition in the salt, and their impact on fish products. Given the critical link between food safety, security, and public health, further research is imperative to mitigate MP contamination, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 2, Goal 3, Goal 14, and Goal 15) for enhanced food safety and security.
Graphical Abstract
... 45−48 However, specific protocols for MP lag behind despite ongoing efforts to establish such standards. 49 The newly introduced ISO 24187:2023 (Principles for the analysis of microplastics present in the environment), while a step forward, largely draws from ISO 5667 and cautions against direct method comparison, 50 highlighting the unique behavior of MPs compared to soluble pollutants. The study presented here contributes crucial data to refine and support these emerging guidelines for MP. ...
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been described as key contributors of microplastics (MPs) to aquatic systems, yet temporal fluctuations in MP concentrations and loads downstream are underexplored. This study investigated how different sampling frequencies (hourly, weekly, and monthly) affect MP estimates in a stream linked to a single WWTP. Utilizing fluorescence microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, considerable hourly variations in MP concentrations were discovered, while the polymer composition remained consistent. This temporal variability in MP loads was influenced by MP concentration, discharge rates, or a mix of both. These results show a high uncertainty, as relying on sparse snapshot samples combined with annual discharge data led to significant uncertainties in MP load estimates (over- and/or underestimation of emissions by 3.8 billion MPs annually at this site). Our findings stress the necessity of higher-frequency sampling for better comprehending the hydrodynamic factors influencing MP transport. This improved understanding enables a more accurate quantification of MP dynamics, crucial for downstream impact assessments. Therefore, preliminary reconnaissance campaigns are essential for designing extended, representative site-monitoring programs and ensuring more precise trend predictions on a larger scale.
... To ensure quality within microplastic analysis, publications should provide detailed descriptions of applied sampling methods, sample size and analytical methods, avoid airborne background contamination, and use negative and positive controls [21,37]. A procedural blank gives information on the contamination of airborne particles as well as contamination by materials and equipment. ...
Plastics are persistent in the environment and may be ingested by organisms where they may cause physical harm or release plastic additives. Monitoring is a crucial mechanism to assess the risk of plastics to the marine and terrestrial ecosystem. Unfortunately, due to unharmonised procedures, it remains difficult to compare the results of different studies. This publication, as part of the Horizon project EUROqCHARM, aims to identify the properties of the available analytical processes and methods for the determination of plastics in biota. Based on a systematic review, reproducible analytical pipelines were examined and the technological readiness levels were assessed so that these methods may eventually (if not already) be incorporated into (harmonised) monitoring programs where biota are identified as indicators of plastic pollution.
... If particles were below the ≥70% match index threshold, three attempts were made to collect a successful match before moving on to the next particle undergoing analysis. Particles below ≥70% match, and particles not classified as a plastic were recorded but not included in the results shown (Cowger et al., 2020). The total number of particles (MPs and others) identified was 2868, for which 295 (10.3%) were MPs. ...
