Version 1
: Received: 24 July 2024 / Approved: 25 July 2024 / Online: 25 July 2024 (12:54:42 CEST)
How to cite:
Prasad, S.; Bennett, A.; Triantafyllou, M. Characterization of Nile Red-Stained Microplastics through Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Preprints2024, 2024072045. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2045.v1
Prasad, S.; Bennett, A.; Triantafyllou, M. Characterization of Nile Red-Stained Microplastics through Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Preprints 2024, 2024072045. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2045.v1
Prasad, S.; Bennett, A.; Triantafyllou, M. Characterization of Nile Red-Stained Microplastics through Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Preprints2024, 2024072045. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2045.v1
APA Style
Prasad, S., Bennett, A., & Triantafyllou, M. (2024). Characterization of Nile Red-Stained Microplastics through Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2045.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Prasad, S., Andrew Bennett and Michael Triantafyllou. 2024 "Characterization of Nile Red-Stained Microplastics through Fluorescence Spectroscopy" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.2045.v1
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), typically defined as plastic fragments smaller than 5mm, are pervasive in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. There is a need for rapid, portable, low-cost detection systems to assess health and environmental risks. Fluorescent tagging with Nile Red (NR) has emerged as a popular detection method, but variations in fluorescent emissions based on NR solvent, plastic polymer, excitation wavelength, and additives complicate standardization. In this study, seven plastic samples stained with acetone-based NR were analyzed using a fluorescent spectrometer to identify optimal emission peaks across UV-Vis excitation wavelengths. These findings aid in selecting appropriate excitation wavelengths and optical filters for future detection systems. Additionally, a straightforward polymer identification scheme was validated against field-collected plastic samples, whose material composition was confirmed via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. This work contributes towards developing accessible microplastic detection technologies by characterizing the fluorescent properties of NR-stained plastics and enhancing the capability for effective environmental monitoring. Future research will expand the dataset to include diverse plastics with varying additives and weathering, and incorporate computer-vision tools for automated data processing and polymer identification.
Keywords
microplastics; fluorescence spectroscopy; Nile Red, pollution monitoring
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Pollution
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
