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A Procedure for Measuring Microplastics using Pressurized Fluid Extraction

Environmental Science & Technology 2016 1172 citations

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Researchers developed and tested a procedure for measuring microplastics in environmental samples using pressurized fluid extraction, finding it an efficient and effective method for recovering particles from complex matrices like sediments and soils.

A method based on pressurized fluid extraction (PFE) was developed for measuring microplastics in environmental samples. This method can address some limitations of the current microplastic methods and provide laboratories with a simple analytical method for quantifying common microplastics in a range of environmental samples. The method was initially developed by recovering 101% to 111% of spiked plastics on glass beads and was then applied to a composted municipal waste sample with spike recoveries ranging from 85% to 94%. The results from municipal waste samples and soil samples collected from an industrial area demonstrated that the method is a promising alternative for determining the concentration and identity of microplastics in environmental samples.

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