Acid solutions accelerate natural breakdown of soft tissues, but also partly dissolve bones. However, acids are the least suitable reagents due to the reported damages to microplastics. Such damages include fusing of PS, PP, PET, LDPE and HDPE, total loss of PA and colour changes to most polymers. Alkaline solutions and enzymes also break down soft tissue by dissolving fats and proteins. Limited, or no impacts on polymers have been reported for such reagents at generally applied concentrations. Extensive information regarding visual damage to microplastics by individual reagents exists (Table 1). Damage to microplastics may also arise on a molecular level and can be assessed using techniques such as Raman and IR spectroscopy or pyrolysis-gas chromatrography.