Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Not all microplastics are created equal. Quantifying efficacy bias and validation of density separation methods

Researchers systematically evaluated density separation methods used to extract microplastics from environmental matrices (water, soil, sediment), investigating whether efficacy varies by polymer density and identifying potential sources of bias in current approaches. The study highlighted risks from lack of methodological standardisation and called for detailed reporting to improve reproducibility across microplastics research.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic extraction from sediments established? – A critical evaluation from a trace recovery experiment with a custom-made density separator

Scientists evaluated the accuracy of a custom density separator for extracting small microplastic particles from sediment, finding variable recovery rates across different polymer types. Standardized and validated extraction methods are essential for accurate measurements of microplastic contamination in sediment environments.

2021 Analytical Methods 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficacy of Microplastic Separation Techniques on Seawater Samples: Testing Accuracy Using High-Density Polyethylene

Scientists tested four common methods for separating microplastics from seawater samples and found that each method recovered different amounts and types of particles. Standardizing separation methods is critical for making microplastic concentration data comparable across different studies.

2021 Biological Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of Different Procedures for Separating Microplastics from Sediments

Researchers compared three different methodologies for separating dense microplastics from fine sediments, finding significant differences in recovery rates and identifying contamination risks during the separation procedures.

2021 Water 29 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics everywhere: A review on existing methods of extraction

This review compiled and evaluated existing methods for extracting microplastics from environmental samples, including density separation, oil extraction, and other techniques, assessing their advantages and limitations across different environmental matrices.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

An optimized density-based approach for extracting microplastics from soil and sediment samples

Researchers optimized a density-based extraction method for isolating microplastics from soil and sediment samples, testing different density solutions and separation steps to maximize recovery efficiency. The improved protocol reduces contamination risks and particle loss, enabling more accurate quantification of microplastics in terrestrial and freshwater sediment matrices.

2019 Environmental Pollution 215 citations
Article Tier 2

A modified methodology for extraction and quantification of microplastics in soil

Researchers developed and validated an improved methodology for extracting and quantifying microplastics from soil samples using optimized density separation with different salt solutions. The method achieved high recovery rates for various polymer types and particle sizes while minimizing organic matter interference. The study provides a standardized and reproducible analytical approach that could help address inconsistencies in how microplastics are measured across different soil studies.

2024 NanoImpact 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction of microplastics from sediment matrices: Experimental comparative analysis

Extraction efficiencies of four methods for separating microplastics from sediment matrices were experimentally compared using spiked samples, finding that density separation with saturated NaCl was adequate for most polymer types but underperformed for high-density polymers, and that no single method achieved complete recovery across all particle sizes and shapes.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 68 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel, highly efficient method for the separation and quantification of plastic particles in sediments of aquatic environments

Researchers improved a density separation method for isolating microplastics from aquatic sediments, achieving higher recovery rates and reducing processing time compared to earlier approaches. The validated method was designed to be reproducible and cost-effective, addressing the need for reliable standardized protocols in microplastic monitoring.

2012 Limnology and Oceanography Methods 654 citations
Article Tier 2

Validation of density separation for the rapid recovery of microplastics from sediment

Researchers validated a density separation method for rapidly recovering microplastics from sediment samples, confirming it as a reliable and efficient approach for routine environmental monitoring.

2016 Analytical Methods 505 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of pre-treatment methods and heavy density liquids to optimize microplastic extraction from natural marine sediments

Researchers compared multiple pre-treatment methods and density separation liquids for extracting microplastics from marine sediments, identifying optimised protocols that improved recovery rates and reduced contamination, supporting the development of more standardised monitoring approaches.

2022 Scientific Reports 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced density separation efficiency of microplastics in presence of nonionic surfactants

Scientists improved the density-separation technique for sorting mixed microplastics by adding nonionic surfactants, boosting the purity of separated polymer types from as low as 69% to up to 96%. Better sorting methods are essential for both accurately measuring microplastic contamination and enabling recycling of plastic waste streams.

2024 Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of sediment texture on HDPE microplastics recovery by density separation

This study examined how sediment texture — specifically grain size — affects the recovery of high-density polyethylene microplastics from sediment samples using density separation. Finer sediments retained more microplastics and reduced extraction efficiency. Matching extraction protocols to sediment type is essential for accurate microplastic quantification in environmental samples.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A new approach in separating microplastics from environmental samples based on their electrostatic behavior

Researchers developed a novel electrostatic separation method to isolate microplastics from environmental matrices based on differences in electrostatic behavior between plastic particles and natural materials. The technique offers a low-cost, chemical-free approach to microplastic extraction that could complement or replace existing density separation methods in some applications.

2017 Environmental Pollution 245 citations
Article Tier 2

Non-Destructive Extraction and Separation of Nano- and Microplastics from Environmental Samples by Density Gradient Ultracentrifugation

Researchers developed a non-destructive method using density gradient ultracentrifugation to extract and separate different types of nano- and microplastics from environmental samples. The study demonstrates that this approach can effectively separate various plastic polymer types from complex environmental matrices based on their density differences, offering a promising new tool for microplastic analysis.

2022 Analytical Chemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction of microplastic from marine sediments: A comparison between pressurized solvent extraction and density separation

Researchers compared pressurized solvent extraction against density separation for extracting microplastics from marine sediments, evaluating the efficiency, accuracy, and practicality of each method to help establish consensus analytical protocols for deep-sea and coastal sediment samples.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison between two methods for microplastic separation from sandy sediments

Researchers compared two density-based methods for separating microplastics from sandy sediments, evaluating their performance on beach sand and mangrove soil samples. The study assessed the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to identify the most suitable method for large-scale in-situ monitoring programs.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Comparing methods for optimising microplastic extraction in sediment through density separation

Researchers compared six density separation solutions and two transfer methods for extracting microplastics from marine sediment. CaCl2-saturated solution with decantation achieved 90% recovery regardless of polymer type, size, or shape, and was safer and cheaper than the next-best option (ZnCl2), recommending it as a standardized method.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Separation of microplastics from deep-sea sediment using an affordable, simple to use, and easily accessible density separation device

Researchers developed an affordable, simple, and accessible density separation device for extracting microplastics from deep-sea sediment, addressing the lack of accuracy and reproducibility in existing extraction methods. The study included spike-recovery experiments as positive controls to validate extraction performance across different sediment matrices.

2024
Article Tier 2

A novel approach to extract, purify, and fractionate microplastics from environmental matrices by isopycnic ultracentrifugation

Researchers developed a novel isopycnic ultracentrifugation method for simultaneously extracting and fractionating microplastics from complex environmental matrices such as soil, demonstrating that diffusion-based density gradients enable separation of mixed polymer types according to their specific buoyant densities, overcoming limitations of conventional saturated salt density extraction.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations