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

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Chemical Food Contaminants Analysis

Part of the book series: Methods and Protocols in Food Science ((MPFS))

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgments

Research projects PICT Cat II 0060 2021 (ANPCyT),RLA 7025 and RLA 7028 (IAEA), PIP 2021-0300 (CONICET), EXA 1080/22 (UNMDP) support our research activity in microplastic monitoring.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IIMyC, Estresores Múltiples en el Ambiente (EMA), FCEyN, UNMDP, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Mariana Gonzalez, María Soledad Islas, Francesca Maria Mitton & Mauricio Díaz-Jaramillo

  2. Red de Investigación de Estresores Marinos – Costeros en Latinoamérica y el Caribe»-REMARCO, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Mariana Gonzalez, María Soledad Islas & Mauricio Díaz-Jaramillo

  3. Departamento de Química y Bioquímica, FCEyN, UNMDP, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María Soledad Islas

  4. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero (INIDEP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Francesca Maria Mitton

Authors
  1. Mariana Gonzalez
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  2. María Soledad Islas
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  3. Francesca Maria Mitton
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  4. Mauricio Díaz-Jaramillo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mauricio Díaz-Jaramillo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and, Sao Jose, Brazil

    Rodrigo Hoff

  2. Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Su, Federal Distsrict, Brazil

    Luciano Molognoni

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Gonzalez, M., Islas, M.S., Mitton, F.M., Díaz-Jaramillo, M. (2024). A Rapid Method for Screening Microplastic in Seafood Using Nile Red (NR) and Fluorescence Preceding Spectroscopic Polymer Analysis. In: Hoff, R., Molognoni, L. (eds) Chemical Food Contaminants Analysis. Methods and Protocols in Food Science . Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3806-4_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3806-4_22

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3805-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3806-4

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