A Rapid Method for Screening Microplastic in Seafood Using Nile Red (NR) and Fluorescence Preceding Spectroscopic Polymer Analysis

GONZALEZ, M.; ISLAS, M.S.; MITTON, M.F.; DÍAZ JARAMILLO, M.

Chemical Food Contaminants Analysis, Methods and Protocols in Food Science

Humana Press, Springer Protocols

Lugar: New York; Año: 2024; p. 263 - 274

Microplastic analysis in seafood is challenging in terms of size, quality assurance, and time-consuming efforts. In this chapter, we describe a rapid and simple method for analyzing microplastics (0.02–5 mm) in seafood tissues. The procedure involves alkaline digestion, a single filtration step, and further visual screening of potential microplastics by means of nile red staining and analysis under stereo microscope using a fluorescent lamp (450 nm excitation – 500 nm emission) as an initial step preceding the spectroscopic identification of polymer structure.