Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A novel method for magnetic labelling and extraction of small-sized microplastics (4 μm) from soil

Researchers developed a magnetic labelling approach to extract small microplastics (4 µm) from soil by binding Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles to the microplastic surface through controlled heating, then using magnetic separation to isolate particles. The method achieved a recovery rate of approximately 92% under optimized conditions, offering a practical solution for quantifying sub-10 µm microplastics from complex soil matrices.

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

Magnetic labelling and extraction of micrometer-sized microplastics from soil

Researchers developed a magnetic labeling and extraction method for micrometer-sized microplastics from soil, exploiting the glass transition of polystyrene by heating particles to embed iron oxide nanoparticles on their surface, allowing efficient magnetic separation of small MPs from complex soil matrices.

2025
Article Tier 2

Magnetic labelling and extraction of micrometer-sized microplastics from sandy soil

Researchers developed a magnetic labelling technique for extracting micrometer-sized microplastics (4 µm) from sandy soil by exploiting the glass transition of polystyrene to embed iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles on MP surfaces, enabling efficient separation using a magnetic field.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Magnetic Extraction of Microplastics from Environmental Samples

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.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 451 citations
Article Tier 2

A high-precision, effective method for extraction and identification of small-sized microplastics from soil

Researchers developed a novel device called the Plastic Flotation and Separator system to improve extraction of very small microplastics (under 60 micrometers) from soil samples. The system achieved a 90% recovery rate for particles as small as 45 micrometers, significantly outperforming traditional methods. The study suggests that previous research may have underestimated microplastic contamination in soils due to limitations in detecting these smaller particles.

2024 Talanta 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Remediation strategies for micro/nanoplastic pollution using magnetic nanomaterials

This review surveys recent developments in using magnetic nanomaterials, such as iron oxide nanoparticles and magnetic composites, to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water and soil. These materials can capture plastic particles through adsorption, help clump them together for removal, or even break them down, and they can be magnetically recovered for reuse. The study highlights that magnetic nanomaterials offer a promising approach for cleaning up plastic pollution, though challenges remain in scaling up for real-world use.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid extraction of high- and low-density microplastics from soil using high-gradient magnetic separation

High-gradient magnetic separation was developed as a method to extract both high- and low-density microplastics from soil, overcoming the limitation of conventional density-based separation that often misses heavier plastic types. The approach improved overall microplastic recovery and offers a more complete picture of soil contamination.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 40 citations
Article Tier 2

The use of magnetically modified microplastics in environmental studies

This Slovenian study tested iron oxide-coated magnetic microplastics as research tools, finding they could be efficiently separated from water and sediment using magnets (over 90% recovery) but proved much harder to retrieve from soil (around 10% recovery). Toxicity tests confirmed the magnetic coating did not harm aquatic plants, and iron leaching into water was negligible. Magnetic microplastics offer a practical way to track and recover particles in laboratory experiments, helping researchers study microplastic behavior in sediments without permanently contaminating test systems.

2026 Repository of the University of Ljubljana (University of Ljubljana)
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics removal from aqueous solutions by magnetic iron nanoparticles

Researchers tested magnetic iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles for removing polystyrene microplastics from water, systematically optimizing concentration, dosage, contact time, and pH, and found effective microplastic removal through adsorption interactions that could be leveraged for environmental remediation.

2025
Article Tier 2

Optimized microplastic analysis based on size fractionation, density separation and μ-FTIR

Researchers optimized a multi-step method for extracting and identifying microplastics from soil and sediment, combining grain size separation, density flotation, and infrared microscopy. The validated method achieved high recovery rates for eight common plastic polymers, contributing to more reliable monitoring of soil microplastic contamination.

2020 Water Science & Technology 59 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 and Identification of a Wide Range of Microplastic Polymers in Soil and Compost

Researchers compared and optimized two microplastic extraction methods for soil and compost, finding that density separation combined with chemical digestion was effective across a wide range of polymer types, providing a more reliable protocol for terrestrial microplastic analysis.

2021 Polymers 37 citations
Article Tier 2

An effective method for the rapid detection of microplastics in soil

A rapid and practical method was developed for detecting and identifying microplastics in soil, addressing the need for faster alternatives to existing time-consuming techniques. The method uses a combination of sieving and staining approaches to accelerate microplastic extraction and identification from soil samples.

2020 Chemosphere 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Upgraded Protocol for Microplastics’ Extraction from the Soil Matrix by Sucrose Density Gradient Centrifugation

Extracting microplastics from soil is technically difficult because soil contains dense organic matter and particles that look similar to plastic under analysis. This study refined a sucrose density gradient centrifugation method to more cleanly separate microplastics from soil, improving recovery rates while reducing contamination from non-plastic material. A reliable soil extraction protocol is essential for accurately measuring how much microplastic pollution has accumulated in agricultural and urban land.

2025 Soil Systems 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorptive removal of micron-sized polystyrene particles using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Researchers demonstrated that magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can effectively adsorb and remove micron-sized polystyrene microplastics from water, offering a magnetically recoverable approach to microplastic remediation.

2022 Chemosphere 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Poor extraction efficiencies of polystyrene nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil

Researchers tested the efficiency of flotation-based extraction methods for recovering polystyrene nano- and microplastics (0.05-100 µm) from biosolids and soil, finding poor extraction efficiencies that varied by particle size and sample matrix. The results highlight significant methodological challenges in quantifying nano- and microplastics in terrestrial matrices and the need for standardised extraction protocols.

2018 PLoS ONE 123 citations
Article Tier 2

Magnetic separation and degradation approaches for effective microplastic removal from aquatic and terrestrial environments

This review covers methods for removing microplastics from water and soil environments using magnetic separation and degradation technologies. Researchers describe how microplastics can be captured using magnetic particles and then broken down through biodegradation, advanced oxidation, or electrochemical processes. The study highlights these combined approaches as promising strategies for addressing microplastic pollution across both aquatic and land-based ecosystems.

2025 Materials Advances 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction and concentration of nanoplastic particles from aqueous suspensions using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and a magnetic flow cell

Researchers developed a method using hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticles to capture and concentrate nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — from water samples, achieving recovery rates of 57–85% across different water types including freshwater and seawater. This technique addresses a major gap in nanoplastic research by making it possible to detect and measure these nearly invisible particles in real environmental samples.

2023 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Unearthing nanoplastics in soil: optimising extraction and purification while preserving particle integrity

Researchers worked to develop and optimize a method for extracting nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — from soil while keeping the particles intact for detailed analysis, finding that combining multiple purification steps resulted in only about 1.4% recovery of added particles. Despite the low overall recovery, the method produced clean enough samples for microscopy analysis, providing a foundation for improving nanoplastic detection in soil environments.

2026 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
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 novel heating-assisted density separation method for extracting microplastics from sediments

A new method using heated sodium dihydrogen phosphate solution was developed to extract microplastics from marine sediments more effectively than existing techniques. The method is non-toxic, inexpensive, and achieved high recovery rates for seven common plastic types.

2020 Chemosphere 55 citations
Article Tier 2

A simple method for the extraction and identification of light density microplastics from soil

This study developed and validated a simple method for extracting and identifying low-density microplastics from sediment samples, offering a practical and cost-effective approach for environmental monitoring.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 525 citations
Article Tier 2

An efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly protocol for extracting microplastics from soil samples

Researchers developed an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly protocol for extracting microplastics from soil samples, addressing the lack of standardized methods and evaluating extraction performance across different soil matrices.

2025 Omorika - Repository of the Faculty of Forestry, Belgrade
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics from water by magnetic nano-Fe3O4

Researchers developed a method for removing microplastics from water using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles that attach to plastic surfaces, allowing the particles to be pulled out with a magnet. The technique achieved removal rates above 80% for common microplastic types in environmental water samples including river water, sewage, and seawater, suggesting a practical approach for water treatment.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 276 citations