Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils
Journal of Visualized Experiments2025
4 citations
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Score: 58
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Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Jixiao Cui,
Jinɡjinɡ Li,
Hanyue Zhang,
Jinrui Zhang,
Jinrui Zhang,
Jinrui Zhang,
Kai Wang,
Siyang Ren,
Siyang Ren,
Siyang Ren,
Ruimin Qi,
Davey L. Jones,
Ruimin Qi,
Ruimin Qi,
Ruimin Qi,
Ruimin Qi,
Ruimin Qi,
Ruimin Qi,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Benjamin I. Collins,
David R. Chadwick
Martine Graf,
Jinrui Zhang,
Davey L. Jones,
L. Xu,
David R. Chadwick
Martine Graf,
David R. Chadwick
Benjamin I. Collins,
David R. Chadwick
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Martine Graf,
Xiuting Liu,
Xuejun Liu,
Siyang Ren,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Jinrui Zhang,
Jinrui Zhang,
David R. Chadwick
Martine Graf,
Kai Wang,
Siyang Ren,
Davey L. Jones,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Ruimin Qi,
Davey L. Jones,
Martine Graf,
Ruimin Qi,
Jixiao Cui,
Jixiao Cui,
Changrong Yan,
David R. Chadwick
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Ruimin Qi,
Martine Graf,
Jinɡjinɡ Li,
Jixiao Cui,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Ruimin Qi,
Jinrui Zhang,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
David R. Chadwick
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Benjamin I. Collins,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Xuejun Liu,
Xuejun Liu,
Xuejun Liu,
Changrong Yan,
Xuejun Liu,
Jixiao Cui,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Benjamin I. Collins,
Changrong Yan,
Hanyue Zhang,
Hanyue Zhang,
Davey L. Jones,
Hanyue Zhang,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Xiuting Liu,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Jixiao Cui,
Jixiao Cui,
Ruimin Qi,
Ruimin Qi,
Xuejun Liu,
Hanyue Zhang,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Xiuting Liu,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Hanyue Zhang,
Davey L. Jones,
Xuejun Liu,
Jixiao Cui,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Xuejun Liu,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Jinɡjinɡ Li,
Jixiao Cui,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Tong Zhu,
Davey L. Jones,
Jixiao Cui,
Changrong Yan,
David R. Chadwick
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Xuejun Liu,
Xuejun Liu,
Siyang Ren,
Changrong Yan,
Siyang Ren,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Changrong Yan,
Xuejun Liu,
Changrong Yan,
Xuejun Liu,
Ruimin Qi,
Davey L. Jones,
Kaige Ren,
Kaige Ren,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Kaige Ren,
Kaige Ren,
Yingming Sun,
Kaige Ren,
Kaige Ren,
Yingming Sun,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Ruimin Qi,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Benjamin I. Collins,
Davey L. Jones,
Benjamin I. Collins,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
L. Xu,
Davey L. Jones,
Xiaoxu Jiang,
David R. Chadwick
Xiaoxu Jiang,
Jixiao Cui,
Xuejun Liu,
Hang Fan,
David R. Chadwick
Changrong Yan,
Changrong Yan,
Xuejun Liu,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Xuejun Liu,
Xuejun Liu,
David R. Chadwick
Summary
Researchers developed a low-cost, accessible method for extracting and identifying microplastics from farmland soils using density separation, fluorescent staining, and infrared spectroscopy. The protocol achieved recovery rates between 82% and 101% across different soil types and particle sizes. This standardized approach could help scientists worldwide compare results more reliably and give policymakers better data on agricultural microplastic contamination.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution in the terrestrial environment has received increasing attention over the last decade, with increasing studies describing the numbers and types of MPs in different soil systems and their impacts on soil and crop health. However, different MPs extraction and analytical methods are used, limiting opportunities to compare results and generate reliable evidence for industry advice and policymakers. Here, we present a protocol that describes the methodology for sampling, separation, and chemical identification of conventional MPs from soil. The method is low-cost, and the materials are readily available. This enhances operational ease and may help with widespread adoption. The protocol provides detailed information on sample collection from the top 0-30 cm of soil using plastic-free utensils; simulation of different soil types through the use of various solid media (such as bentonite clay, silicon dioxide, and non-contaminated soil), with the addition of the same mass of polyethylene(PE)-MPs for subsequent quantification; density separation of plastic particles utilizing saturated sodium chloride (NaCl) solution and digestion of organic impurities in the supernatant using 4 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution; quantification of particles using fluorescent microscopy after Nile Red staining; and polymer identification using micro Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) or Laser-Direct Infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy. The MPs recovery rate ranged from 83% - 90% for the abovementioned media. This protocol presents an efficient method for soil MPs analysis that is optimized for feasibility, applicability, and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, the video accompanied can guide the process of analyzing the soil MPs step-by-step virtually. This study is dedicated to standardizing the methods for soil MPs analysis, enhancing the connectivity and comparability of measurements, and establishing a foundation for more standardized and scientific research.