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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Food & Water Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Peer Review #1 of "A new small device made of glass for separating microplastics from marine and freshwater sediments (v0.1)"

2019
Ryota Nakajima, Masashi Tsuchiya, Dhugal J. Lindsay, Tomo Kitahashi, Katsunori Fujikura, Tomohiko Fukushima, A Anderson, A Andrady, C Arthur, J Baker, H Bouwman, S Gall, V Hildalgo-Ruz, A Khler, Lavender Law, K Leslie, H, M Bergmann, V Wirzberger, T Krumpen, C Lorenz, S Primpke, M Tekman, G Gerdts, F Biginagwa, B Mayoma, Y Shashoua, K Syberg, F Khan, I Chubarenko, A Bagaev, M Zobkov, E Esiukova, R Coppock, M Cole, P Lindeque, A Queirs, T Galloway, P Corcoran, M Biesinger, M Grifi, J Dekiff, D Remy, J Klasmeier, E Fries, K Duis, A Coors, S Wilson, C Box, A Zellers, W Edwards, H Farley, S Amato, P Farrell, K Nelson, S Felsing, C Kochleus, S Buchinger, N Brennholt, F Stock, G Reifferscheid, C Free, O Jensen, S Mason, M Eriksen, N Williamson, B Boldgiv, J Gasperi, R Dris, T Bonin, V Rocher, B Tassin, J Grbic, B Nguyen, E Guo, J You, D Sinton, C Rochman, D Green, B Boots, J Sigwart, S Jiang, C Rocha, L Gutow, V Hidalgo-Ruz, M Thiel, H Imhof, J Schmid, R Niessner, N Ivleva, C Laforsch, K Law, R Thompson, G Liebezeit, F Dubaish

Summary

This peer review evaluates an earlier version of a manuscript presenting a new glass device for separating microplastics from sediments using density separation with heavy salt solutions. The review provides expert feedback to improve a tool aimed at making microplastic extraction from sediments more reliable and standardized.

Polymers
PE PET PP PS PVC
Study Type Environmental

Separating microplastics from marine and freshwater sediments is challenging, but necessary to determine their distribution, mass and ecological impacts in benthic environments.Density separation is commonly used to extract microplastics from sediments by using heavy salt solutions, such as zinc chloride and sodium iodide.However, current devices/apparatus used for density separation, including glass beakers, funnels, upside-down funnel-shaped separators with a shut-off valve, etc., possess various shortcomings in terms of recovery rate, time consumption and/or usability.In evaluating existing microplastic extraction methods using density separation, we identified the need for a device that allows rapid, simple and efficient extraction of microplastics from a range of sediment types.We have developed a small glass separator, without a valve, taking a hint from an Utermöhl chamber.This new device is easy to clean and portable, yet enables rapid separation of microplastics from sediments.With this simple device, we recovered 94-98% of <1,000 µm microplastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene).Overall, the device is efficient for various sizes, polymer types, and sediment types.Also, microplastics collected with this glassmade device remain chemically uncontaminated, and can therefore be used for further analysis of adsorbing contaminants and additives on/to microplastics.

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