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Grab vs. neuston tow net: a microplastic sampling performance comparison and possible advances in the field
Summary
This study directly compared the performance of grab sampling (taking a small water volume by hand) versus neuston tow netting for quantifying surface microplastics, finding that results differed significantly. The comparison highlights how method choice affects reported concentrations, making inter-study comparisons unreliable without method standardization.
With the rapid evolution of microplastic research over several decades, there is an urgent need to compare methodologies for quantifying microplastic in aquatic environments.
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