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Detection Methods
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Does what we find depend on how we sample? Measured streambed microplastic concentrations can be affected by the choice of sampling method
The Science of The Total Environment2024
6 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 45
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Lee Haverson,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Mohammad Wazne,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Holly Nel
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Laurent Simon,
Mohammad Wazne,
Stefan Krause,
Mohammad Wazne,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Holly Nel
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Lee Haverson,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Mohammad Wazne,
Lee Haverson,
Lee Haverson,
Lee Haverson,
Lee Haverson,
Lee Haverson,
Lee Haverson,
Lee Haverson,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Mohammad Wazne,
Stefan Krause,
Mohammad Wazne,
Lee Haverson,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Lee Haverson,
Holly Nel
Laurent Simon,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Lee Haverson,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Lee Haverson,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Lee Haverson,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Lee Haverson,
Mohammad Wazne,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Laurent Simon,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Laurent Simon,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Uwe Schneidewind,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Laurent Simon,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Laurent Simon,
Stefan Krause,
Stefan Krause,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Stefan Krause,
Mohammad Wazne,
Stefan Krause,
Laurent Simon,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Stefan Krause,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Mohammad Wazne,
Laurent Simon,
Stefan Krause,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Laurent Simon,
Florian Mermillod‐Blondin,
Lee Haverson,
Stefan Krause,
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Holly Nel
Summary
Researchers compared how different microplastic sampling methods — including nets, pumps, and bulk water collection — affect measured concentrations in streambed sediments, finding large methodological differences in results. The study underscores that sampling protocol choice strongly influences what researchers find.
Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent in rivers worldwide and can adversely impact riverine ecosystems. To sample for MPs in streambeds, a variety of different sampling techniques is applied, including (i) scooping, (ii) coring, (iii) freeze coring, (iv) resuspension method, and (v) piezometer sampling. These common sampling techniques capture different parts of the streambed and different sampling volumes. However, the resulting MP concentrations are usually reported without discussing how the sampling method may affect MP recovery, thus limiting rigorous inter-study comparisons. To better understand the impact of these techniques on MP recovery in different streambed environments, we conducted mesocosm experiments. Two mesocosms were filled with sediment of different composition and spiked with a known concentration of polyamide (PA) fragments prior to employing the various sampling techniques. MP recovery rates from scooping, coring and freeze coring varied by a factor of two compared to the input concentration, while resuspension and piezometer techniques overestimated PA recovery by three to nine times. Furthermore, variations in recovered PA particle size distributions emphasize the importance of selecting methods based on research objectives and streambed characteristics. Our results underline the need for a critical evaluation of reported streambed microplastic concentrations with a focus on the chosen sampling technique.