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A high-precision, effective method for extraction and identification of small-sized microplastics from soil
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Researchers developed a novel device called the Plastic Flotation and Separator system to improve extraction of very small microplastics (under 60 micrometers) from soil samples. The system achieved a 90% recovery rate for particles as small as 45 micrometers, significantly outperforming traditional methods. The study suggests that previous research may have underestimated microplastic contamination in soils due to limitations in detecting these smaller particles.
A growing evidence showed that the terrestrial ecosystem was a greater sink for microplastics (MPs) compared with ocean. Owing to the limitation of pretreatment methods, there are few reports on the identification of small-sized MPs(<60 μm) in soil currently, which may led to an underestimation of the environmental risk of MPs in soil system. In this study, we established an efficient pretreatment method for MPs in soils by developing a novel device, Plastic Flotation and Separator system (PFSS). The device integrated the suspension, digestion and filtration procedures into one system, reducing the losses of pretreatment process. It was shown that the recovery of MPs with size of 45 μm was 90%, significantly surpassing that of the traditional pretreatment methods in this particle size range. Combined with the SEM-Raman technique, MPs with small size were accurately determined. This work provides an effective method for the extraction and determination of MPs in soils and is of significance for the risk assessment of MPs in soil system.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.