JULY 17, 2015--This month the NOAA Marine Debris Program released the Laboratory Methods for the Analysis of Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Recommendations for measuring synthetic particles in waters and sediment.

Plastics are often the main type of debris found in oceans, rivers, lakes as well as on surrounding riverbanks and shorelines and those plastics however big or small can enter the environment from a multitude of sources. These plastics can eventually degrade into smaller and smaller pieces and bits.

This methods manual outlines step-by-step instructions on how to quantify microplastics in marine environmental samples, and how to streamline terminology and approaches. Depending on each study’s aim and the environmental collection techniques, these methods can be used to calculate concentrations of microplastics.

For more information on the methods manual, contact Carlie.Herring@noaa.gov.

Go back to OR&R Weekly Report.