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Magnetic Extraction of Microplastics from Environmental Samples

Environmental Science & Technology Letters 2019 451 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Jelena Grbić, Jelena Grbić, Brian Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Brian Nguyen, Jae Bem You, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, Jelena Grbić, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, Jelena Grbić, Brian Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jae Bem You, Jae Bem You, Brian Nguyen, Brian Nguyen, Jelena Grbić, Edie Guo, Jelena Grbić, Edie Guo, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jae Bem You, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman David Sinton, Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, David Sinton, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman David Sinton, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman David Sinton, David Sinton, David Sinton, David Sinton, David Sinton, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jae Bem You, David Sinton, David Sinton, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman David Sinton, Chelsea M. Rochman Edie Guo, Chelsea M. Rochman Edie Guo, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jae Bem You, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Jelena Grbić, Jelena Grbić, Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman Chelsea M. Rochman

Summary

A magnetic extraction method was developed using hydrophobic iron nanoparticles that bind to plastic surfaces, achieving 92% recovery of 10–20 μm polyethylene and polystyrene beads and 84–93% recovery of six polymer types from seawater and sediment. The method offers a practical, adaptable approach to extracting microplastics from complex environmental matrices without the limitations of density-based separation.

Polymers

PE PET PP PS PU PVC

Study Type Environmental

Separating microplastics (MPs) from environmental samples is challenging, but necessary to determine their environmental prevalence. Current methods are not standardized across environmental sample type, and it is unclear how well they recover smaller sized MPs. In response, we developed a method that extracts plastics magnetically, taking advantage of their hydrophobic surface to magnetize the plastics. We created hydrophobic Fe nanoparticles that bind to plastic, allowing magnetic recovery. With this principle applied to a simple method, we recovered 92% of 10–20 μm polyethylene and polystyrene beads and 93% of >1 mm MPs (polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene) from seawater. We also recovered 84% and 78% of MPs (polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene) ranging from 200 μm to 1 mm from freshwater and sediments, respectively. Overall, the procedure is efficient for various sizes, polymer types, and sample matrices and can be considered by researchers to be included as a step of the extraction procedure for MPs (i.e., post density separation) or stand-alone for cleaner samples (i.e., drinking water).

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