We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics for Use in Environmental Research
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a cryomilling method to reliably produce microplastics smaller than 20 micrometers for use in laboratory studies, filling a critical gap since particles of this size are the most relevant to human health but previously lacked standardized preparation techniques.
Microplastics < 20 μm are being increasingly reported in treated drinking water as well as in surface waters. As such, ongoing microplastic-related research in various fields is beginning to focus on smaller particle sizes as these appear to be most important from a human health perspective. However, no standardized methods for preparing microplastics of this size have been reported in the literature. This study proposes a cryomilling-based method for preparing microplastics to be used in aqueous stock suspensions. Polymers of 22 different types were obtained from the Centre for Marine Debris Research, Hawai’i Pacific University. Polymers were produced that ranged in size from 2 to 125 μm of which 98% were classified as fragments with 2% as fibers. Size distributions for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP), which are frequently reported in environmental samples, were determined using microscopy. Approximately 80% of the particles resulting from cryomilling were < 20 μm long (major dimension). A stock suspension prepared using PET was employed to illustrate and assess recovery for sampling equipment which incorporated in-line filtration. Recoveries exceeding 80% were observed for individual particle sizes ranging from 2 to 45 μm. Results of these trials suggest that stock suspensions of microplastics are heterogeneous and cannot be treated in a similar manner to chemical solutions. In conclusion, this study represents a forward step towards harmonization of environmental microplastic research methods and improving comparability of future studies.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics: General Prospectives
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles (smaller than 5 millimeters) that come from everyday sources like clothing fibers and air pollution, and they're now found throughout our environment. This chapter reviews the basics, what microplastics are and where they come from, setting the stage for deeper looks at their health and ecological effects in later chapters. While this piece doesn't reveal new health findings, understanding these pollution sources matters because it's the first step toward figuring out how to reduce our everyday exposure to them.
Advanced Techniques for Microplastic Collection, Separation, and Identification in Environmental Samples
AI summary Read the abstract
This chapter reviewed advanced collection, separation, and identification techniques for microplastics in environmental samples, covering methods from field sampling to spectroscopic analysis. Robust detection methodology is foundational to the entire field—without standardized, accurate measurement tools, it is impossible to reliably assess human exposure levels or evaluate the effectiveness of remediation strategies.
Microplastics in the Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review provided a broad overview of microplastics as environmental pollutants arising from industrialization, examining their origins from larger plastic fragmentation and their behavior across multiple environmental compartments. The review contextualizes how the plastics economy has created a self-perpetuating pollution cycle in which today's consumer goods become tomorrow's pervasive contaminants in air, water, food, and human tissue.
Analytical Methods for Plastic (Microplastic) Determination in Environmental Samples
AI summary Read the abstract
Significant gaps remain in understanding how microplastics distribute and move through the environment, largely because reliable, fast analytical methods for monitoring them are still lacking. Developing standardized detection techniques is essential for generating the consistent data needed to assess true exposure levels and health risks across different ecosystems.
Potential Environmental Contamination by Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper reviews the sources, types, and environmental pathways of microplastics, which range from 0.1 micrometers to 5 mm and are generated both as primary manufactured particles and from the breakdown of larger plastics. As these particles accumulate across land, water, and air, their potential to carry toxic chemicals into human bodies is an escalating public health concern.
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.