Sampling and Analysis Plan for Microplastic Monitoring in San Francisco Bay and Adjacent National Marine Sanctuaries FINAL Meg Sedlak, Rebecca Sutton, Carolynn Box, Jennifer Sun, and Diana Lin May 31, 2017 SFEI Contribution 819 FINAL MICROPLASTIC SAP 5/31/2017 Acknowledgements This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) was funded by a generous grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Special thanks to our expert advisory panel, Anna‐Marie Cook, Sherri A. Mason, and Chelsea Rochman. Many participants in the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) made very helpful comments on the draft SAP including N. Arsem, M. Connor, M. Esparza, C. Sommers, L. Fono, and the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies. We also received comments from H. Allen and B. Robertson of USEPA, R. Fairey of Moss Landing Marine Labs, and Mark Banaszak Holl and Rachel Merzel of University of Michigan. Thanks to R. Holleman, D. Yee, P. Trowbridge, J. Davis and A. Malkassian of SFEI for their thoughtful review of earlier drafts. This report should be cited as: Sedlak M, Sutton R, Box C, Sun J and Lin D. 2017. FINAL Sampling and Analysis Plan for Microplastic Monitoring in San Francisco Bay and Adjacent National Marine Sanctuaries. SFEI Contribution 819. Richmond CA. Cover photo credit: Sergio Izquierdo 2 FINAL MICROPLASTIC SAP 5/31/2017 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Summary of the Issue ................................................................................................................ 9 1.2 Definition of Microplastic ........................................................................................................ 10 1.3 Outline of Major Project Components .................................................................................... 12 2 Monitoring Study Design ................................................................................................................. 14 2.1 Overview of the RMP Microplastic Monitoring and Science Strategy .................................... 14 2.2 Management Questions .......................................................................................................... 15 2.3 Data Gaps ................................................................................................................................ 16 3 Surface Water: San Francisco Bay and Adjacent Sanctuaries ......................................................... 23 3.1 Objective ................................................................................................................................. 23 3.2 Relevant Management Questions ........................................................................................... 24 3.3 Site Selection ........................................................................................................................... 25 3.4 Field Sample Collection Methods ............................................................................................ 27 3.5 Laboratory Analyses ................................................................................................................ 29 4 San Francisco Bay Sediment ............................................................................................................ 33 4.1 Objective ................................................................................................................................. 33 4.2 Relevant Management Questions ........................................................................................... 34 4.3 Site Selection ........................................................................................................................... 35 4.4 Field Sample Collection Methods ............................................................................................ 37 4.5 Laboratory Analyses ................................................................................................................ 37 5 San Francisco Bay Prey Fish ............................................................................................................. 41 5.1 Objective ................................................................................................................................. 41 5.2 Relevant Management Questions ........................................................................................... 41 5.3 Target Fish Species .................................................................................................................. 42 5.4 Site Selection ........................................................................................................................... 43 5.5 Field Sample Collection Methods ............................................................................................ 44 5.6 Laboratory Analyses ................................................................................................................ 44 6 Pathways: Wastewater Effluent ...................................................................................................... 47 6.1 Objective ................................................................................................................................. 47 3 FINAL MICROPLASTIC SAP 5/31/2017 6.2 Relevant Management Questions ........................................................................................... 48 6.3 Site Selection ........................................................................................................................... 48 6.4 Field Sample Collection Methods ............................................................................................ 49 6.5 Laboratory Analyses ................................................................................................................ 50 7 Pathways: Stormwater .................................................................................................................... 52 7.1 Objective ................................................................................................................................. 52 7.2 Relevant Management Questions ........................................................................................... 52 7.3 Site Selection ........................................................................................................................... 53 7.4 Field Sample Collection Methods ............................................................................................ 54 7.5 Laboratory Analyses ................................................................................................................ 55 8 Site Maps ......................................................................................................................................... 58 9 Additional Quality Assurance/Quality Control ................................................................................ 67 9.1 Project Organization and Expert Technical Review ................................................................. 67 9.2 Special Training for the Project ............................................................................................... 67 9.3 Health and Safety .................................................................................................................... 69 9.4 Permits .................................................................................................................................... 69 9.5 Field Operation and Laboratory Records ................................................................................ 70 9.6 Data Quality Objectives ........................................................................................................... 70 9.7 Treatment of the Data ............................................................................................................. 72 9.8 Data Reporting ........................................................................................................................ 76 9.9 Storage/Archiving .................................................................................................................... 77 10 References ....................................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix A Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Outcome Table ........................................................... 83 Appendix B Field Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 89 Appendix B‐1 Field Procedures for Surface Water Collection San Francisco Bay and National Marine Sanctuaries .............................................................................................................................................. 90 1. Sampling Design .............................................................................................................................. 91 2. Cruise schedule ............................................................................................................................... 94 3. Detailed Field Sampling Methods ................................................................................................... 94 4. Sample Labeling .............................................................................................................................. 98 5. Sample Archive