We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A novel approach to extract, purify, and fractionate microplastics from environmental matrices by isopycnic ultracentrifugation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a new method using isopycnic ultracentrifugation to extract, purify, and separate microplastics from complex environmental matrices like soil, improving the reliability of contamination measurements. Accurate extraction is a major challenge in microplastic research because soils contain many particles that can interfere with detection. This technique could help standardize microplastic analysis and improve comparability across studies.
Microplastics (MP) are increasingly accumulating in the environment. Therefore, reliable extraction and detection methods are crucial to assess ecological risks and determine the level of pollution. However, the extraction of MP from complex environmental matrices such as soils remains challenging. Frequently applied extraction protocols are density-based, utilizing different saturated salt solutions. However, these approaches are not capable to fractionate mixtures of different MP particle types according to the specific polymer densities. Here, we present in a proof-of-concept study the simultaneous extraction and separation of MP mixtures based on the particle-specific buoyant densities via an isopycnic ultracentrifugation approach. This was accomplished by preparing diffusion-based caesium chloride density gradients with densities ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 g mL-1, sufficient to fractionate many common polymer densities. MP particles with a low (PA66), medium (PBAT), and high (PET) density were selected and incubated in a soil for 6 months. After extraction and isopycnic separation a clear banding of the MP particles at expected buoyant densities was observed. The polymer-specific separation (≥ 87.6%) was supported by µFTIR imaging of subsamples from fractions with highest particle counts. In addition, our workflow achieved quantitative MP recoveries between 86-99%. Moreover, we were interested in the capability of preserving MP-associated biofilms during ultracentrifugation. Therefore, soil-incubated MP particles were inspected before and after isopycnic separation using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Preliminary results indicate a possible preservation of extracellular polymeric substances and microbes. Thus, we believe isopycnic ultracentrifugation offers a novel approach with wide application potential for polymer-specific extraction and resolution of MP particles. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/427367/document
More Papers Like This
A novel approach to extract, purify, and fractionate microplastics from environmental matrices by isopycnic ultracentrifugation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a novel isopycnic ultracentrifugation method for simultaneously extracting and fractionating microplastics from complex environmental matrices such as soil, demonstrating that diffusion-based density gradients enable separation of mixed polymer types according to their specific buoyant densities, overcoming limitations of conventional saturated salt density extraction.
Upgraded Protocol for Microplastics’ Extraction from the Soil Matrix by Sucrose Density Gradient Centrifugation
AI summary Read the abstract
Extracting microplastics from soil is technically difficult because soil contains dense organic matter and particles that look similar to plastic under analysis. This study refined a sucrose density gradient centrifugation method to more cleanly separate microplastics from soil, improving recovery rates while reducing contamination from non-plastic material. A reliable soil extraction protocol is essential for accurately measuring how much microplastic pollution has accumulated in agricultural and urban land.
The power of centrifugation: How to extract microplastics from soil with high recovery and matrix removal efficiency
AI summary Read the abstract
This study developed and validated a centrifugation-based method for extracting microplastics from soil samples with high recovery and efficient removal of organic matter. The approach is particularly useful for monitoring the fragmentation and biodegradation of both conventional and biodegradable polymers released into agricultural soils.
A modified methodology for extraction and quantification of microplastics in soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed and validated an improved methodology for extracting and quantifying microplastics from soil samples using optimized density separation with different salt solutions. The method achieved high recovery rates for various polymer types and particle sizes while minimizing organic matter interference. The study provides a standardized and reproducible analytical approach that could help address inconsistencies in how microplastics are measured across different soil studies.
An optimized density-based approach for extracting microplastics from soil and sediment samples
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers optimized a density-based extraction method for isolating microplastics from soil and sediment samples, testing different density solutions and separation steps to maximize recovery efficiency. The improved protocol reduces contamination risks and particle loss, enabling more accurate quantification of microplastics in terrestrial and freshwater sediment matrices.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.