Fig. 1
From: A practical primer for image-based particle measurements in microplastic research
Workflow for an image-based particle measurement of microplastics. Firstly, at each measuring point a sample is prepared that is uncontaminated, sufficiently large, and representative. Secondly, high-resolution images are then acquired with a calibrated light microscope using appropriate settings. Thirdly, digital image processing is employed to completely separate the microplastics from the background. Fourthly, a multitude of metrics are measured for the characterization of size and shape. Fifthly, the quality of the measurements is controlled and assured (QA/QC) by checking for any source of bias. Sixthly, frequency distributions and summary statistics of size and shape are reported in a comprehensive and comparable manner. Created with biorender.com