Alternative Microplastic Identification Methods using Optical Components to Modify Standard Compound Microscopes for Fluorescence Microscopy

This study aimed to use optical components to modify and convert a compound microscope into a functional fluorescence microscope as an alternative identification procedure for microplastics in water samples. The results of this study showed that Nile Red dye was most effective in emitting fluorescence in colorless or clear plastics. Plastics that were colored showed weaker fluorescence. Rit Fabric Dye was also analyzed for fluorescence while bound to microplastics, but no fluorescence was found with this method

The complete mitochondrial and plastid genomes of Corallina chilensis (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from Tomales Bay, California, USA

Genomic analysis of the marine alga Corallina chilensis from Tomales Bay, California, USA, resulted in the assembly of its complete mitogenome (GenBank accession number MK598844) and plastid genome (GenBank MK598845). The mitogenome is 25,895 bp in length and contains 50 genes. The plastid genome is 178,350 bp and contains 233 genes. The organellar genomes share a high-level of gene synteny to other Corallinales. Comparison of rbcL and cox1 gene sequences of C. chilensis from Tomales Bay reveals it is identical to three specimens from British Columbia, Canada and very similar to a specimen of C. chilensis from southern California. These genetic data confirm that C. chilensis is distributed in Pacific North America