Microplastics Are Even Contaminating the Labs Studying Them

Microplastics researchers face a fundamental contamination paradox as the tiny plastic particles smaller than 5 mm contaminate the very laboratories, equipment, and clothing used to study them. With global plastic production exceeding 450 million metric tons annually and microplastics found in human bodies affecting behavior and inflammation, the credibility of the entire research field is threatened by inconsistent methods and poor quality controls across even highly cited studies. Specialized facilities like the Minderoo Foundation laboratory at the University of Queensland, which is 99% plastic-free and took 5½ months to build, demonstrate that contamination can be reduced by at least 70% through measures like HEPA filtration, steel equipment, and cotton lab coats. However, these protocols make lab work twice as long and cost significantly more, while a review of 50 major publications found widespread lack of standardization in separating real environmental samples from lab contamination.

Microplastic contamination challenges in laboratory research

• ▪The term microplastics was coined in the early 2000s
• ▪A 2023 study found that reagents and commercial chemicals used to separate and prepare microplastics contained microplastics themselves
• ▪The world produces over 450 million metric tons of plastics per year according to Our World in Data
• ▪Microplastics are tiny shreds of plastic smaller than 5 mm

Practical solutions and adaptations to reduce contamination

• ▪The University of Hamburg microplastics laboratory replaces common plastic funnels with stainless steel alternatives
• ▪A 2023 study found that filtering lab water using a glass-fiber filter, treating filters with intense heat, and using a clean booth could reduce microplastic levels in samples by at least 70%
• ▪Malin Klein is a PhD student studying how microplastics get distributed in the air, trees, and soil of Italy's Abruzzi Apennine region
• ▪The University of Hamburg microplastics laboratory requires lab coats to be made from 100% cotton
• ▪The University of Hamburg microplastics laboratory uses only alumina-based Anodisk filters
• ▪A 2021 study found that a lab team following basic anti-plastic-contamination protocols reduced contamination by 36.9%

Purpose-built plastic-free laboratories and their design

• ▪Tanja Kögel is a researcher who was involved in designing the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research microplastics laboratory
• ▪The Minderoo Foundation microplastics laboratory at the University of Queensland is 99% free of any plastics
• ▪The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research microplastics lab uses HEPA filtration of the air
• ▪In 2024 researchers published the blueprint of the Minderoo Foundation microplastics laboratory in the Journal of Hazardous Materials
• ▪Sarah Dunlop is the director of the Plastics and Human Health Impact Mission at the Minderoo Foundation
• ▪The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research microplastics lab is kept under slightly higher air pressure to prevent outside plastic-laden dust from entering
• ▪The Minderoo Foundation microplastics laboratory at the University of Queensland took 5½ months to build
• ▪The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research built a specialized lab for microplastics in 2018

Standardization challenges and the need for better analytical methods

• ▪Charles Rolsky is the executive director of the Shaw Institute
• ▪Christos Symeonides is a pediatrician at the Minderoo Foundation who studies microplastics' effect on human health