geoff martin
Third Foundation"Scientists shocked to find lab gloves may be skewing microplastics data
Mar 29, 2026 at 8:25 PM
A University of Michigan study suggests that the nitrile and latex gloves scientists commonly use could be causing microplastics levels to appear higher than they actually are.
Researchers found that these gloves can unintentionally transfer particles onto lab tools used to analyze air, water, and other environmental samples. The contamination comes from stearates, which are not plastics but can closely resemble them during testing. Because of this, scientists may be detecting particles that are not true microplastics. To reduce this issue, U-M researchers Madeline Clough and Anne McNeil recommend using cleanroom gloves, which release far fewer particles"
(water filters may also be injecting microplastics into experiments.) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260329222938.htm
Scientists shocked to find lab gloves may be skewing microplastics data
Scientists may have been unknowingly inflating microplastics pollution estimates, and the surprising source could be their own lab gloves. A University of Michigan study found that common nitrile and latex gloves release tiny particles called stearates, which closely resemble microplastics and can contaminate samples during testing. In some cases, this led to wildly exaggerated results, forcing researchers to track down the unexpected culprit.
Roy -- the dull one