Detection of Anthropogenic Particles in Fish Stomachs: An Isolation Method Adapted to Identification by Raman Spectroscopy
Abstract
Microplastic particles (MP) contaminate oceans and affect marine organisms in several ways. Ingestion combined with food intake is generally reported. However, data interpretation often is circumvented by the difficulty to separate MP from bulk samples. Visual examination often is used as one or the only step to sort these particles. However, color, size, and shape are insufficient and often unreliable criteria. We present an extraction method based on hypochlorite digestion and isolation of MP from the membrane by sonication. The protocol is especially well adapted to a subsequent analysis by Raman spectroscopy. The method avoids fluorescence problems, allowing better identification of anthropogenic particles (AP) from stomach contents of fish by Raman spectroscopy. It was developed with commercial samples of microplastics and cotton along with stomach contents from three different Clupeiformes fishes: Clupea harengus, Sardina pilchardus, and Engraulis encrasicolus. The optimized digestion and isolation protocol showed no visible impact on microplastics and cotton particles while the Raman spectroscopic spectrum allowed the precise identification of microplastics and textile fibers. Thirty-five particles were isolated from nine fish stomach contents. Raman analysis has confirmed 11 microplastics and 13 fibers mainly made of cellulose or lignin. Some particles were not completely identified but contained artificial dyes. The novel approach developed in this manuscript should help to assess the presence, quantity, and composition of AP in planktivorous fish stomachs.
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Natural and semisynthetic microfibers have been found in wild marine organisms.
“Recently, some studies underlined the presence of natural and semisynthetic microfibers in wild marine organisms [86,87,88,89].”
From Is Wild Marine Biota Affected by Microplastics? (2022) · cites this paper as [88]
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- Authors
- Collard, F., Gilbert, B., Eppe, G., Parmentier, E., & Das, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Liège (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Collard, France
- Das, Krishna
- Venue
- Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
- Published
- 2015-08-20
- Volume
- 69
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 331-339
- ISSN
- 0090-4341 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0703
- OpenAlex
- W2151512058
- Cited by
- 293
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 3
- FWCI
- 15.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Flanders Marine Institute (Flanders Marine Institute) (submittedVersion)
- ORBi (University of Liège) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Keywords
- microplastics, anthropogenic particles, fish stomach contents, particle isolation, Raman spectroscopy, textile fibers, herring, Sardina pilchardus, Engraulis encrasicolus, planktivorous fish, marine plastic pollution, synthetic dyes
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Environmental Monitoring, Fishes, Gastrointestinal Contents, Plastics, Spectrum Analysis, Raman, Water Pollutants, Chemical
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