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Extraction of Microplastics from Soil and Bio-composts
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This thesis developed a method for extracting microplastics from soil and bio-compost using olive oil as a cost-effective and non-toxic flotation medium. Researchers tested the method on commercial soil and compost samples and found it effectively separated microplastics without hazardous chemicals. The study provides a safer and more accessible alternative to conventional chemical-based microplastic extraction methods.
This thesis is about the extraction of microplastics using olive oil, which is one of the most cost effective, efficient, and harmless methods of extraction since no harmful chemicals were used in the process. Microplastics is scientific topic trending around the world, this thesis tries to spread awareness about how it can enter and cause harm to the ecosystem. For the experiments, soil used commercially as a base for a plant and a final stage bio-compost from HSY Ämmässuö were used as samples. The samples were tested by combinations of solvent extraction and density separation techniques in two different apparatus: a polytetra-fluoroethylene tube and a sediment microplastic isolation unit with vacuum filtration process to extract microplastics from the samples. As a result, almost all the plastic pieces mixed with the samples were recovered in the filter paper after filtration.
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Olive oil-based method for the extraction, quantification and identification of microplastics in soil and compost samples
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An olive oil-based extraction method was developed for recovering microplastics from soil and compost samples, exploiting the oleophilic properties of plastics to separate them regardless of their density. Recovery rates were consistently above 90% for six different polymer types, including high-density polymers that conventional density separation methods often miss.
A method for the extraction of microplastics from solid samples using olive oil
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Researchers developed a new method using olive oil to extract microplastics from soil and sediment samples, exploiting the fact that plastics are oleophilic (oil-attracting). The method successfully recovered 11 different polymer types including dense plastics that are often missed by standard water-based density separation, offering a simpler and cheaper extraction approach.
Extraction and Identification of a Wide Range of Microplastic Polymers in Soil and Compost
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Researchers compared and optimized two microplastic extraction methods for soil and compost, finding that density separation combined with chemical digestion was effective across a wide range of polymer types, providing a more reliable protocol for terrestrial microplastic analysis.
Methods for separating microplastics from complex solid matrices: Comparative analysis
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Separation methods for extracting microplastics from complex solid matrices including soil, sediment, and sludge were systematically compared, evaluating density separation, oil extraction, electrostatic separation, and other approaches. The review provides guidance for choosing appropriate separation methods depending on matrix composition and target microplastic characteristics.
Analysis of microplastics and their removal from water
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This thesis investigated removing microplastics from water using oil extraction, testing whether an organic medium could separate different types of plastic particles from water samples in the laboratory. The method showed promise as a technique for quantifying microplastic contamination in water.
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