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 novel magnetic labelling method to improve extraction efficiency of small microplastics (4 µm polystyrene spheres) from soil by heating particles with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles to embed nanoparticles in the microplastic surface, enabling magnetic separation. Optimizing the incubation at 90°C for 2.5 hours achieved a recovery rate of 91.67% from water matrices, demonstrating potential for extracting sub-10 µm particles that conventional density separation methods miss.

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

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

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

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 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

Systematic development of extraction methods for quantitative microplastics analysis in soils using metal-doped plastics

Researchers developed and optimized systematic extraction methods for quantitative microplastic analysis in diverse soil types, using metal-doped PET microplastics as reference materials to validate extraction workflows and improve consistency across different soil matrices.

2022 Environmental Pollution 35 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

Quantification of Microplastics in Soils Using Accelerated Solvent Extraction: Comparison with a Visual Sorting Method

Researchers evaluated accelerated solvent extraction as an alternative to visual sorting for quantifying microplastics in soil, finding it recovered similar total amounts but with some differences by polymer type. Improving the accuracy and efficiency of soil microplastic measurement is essential for understanding agricultural and terrestrial plastic contamination.

2021 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soils: A comparative review on extraction, identification and quantification methods

This review compares the various methods scientists use to extract, identify, and measure microplastics in soil, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Soil is a particularly challenging material to work with because its organic matter and complex structure can interfere with accurate microplastic detection. The authors recommend combining multiple techniques and minimizing harsh chemical steps that could accidentally destroy the very plastic particles being measured.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in the analysis of relevant microplastic types in agricultural soils

Researchers developed an optimized soil purification protocol for extracting and identifying microplastic particles from agricultural soils, systematically testing and combining multiple extraction and purification steps to improve the accuracy of polymer identification across different soil types.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Advances in the analysis of relevant microplastic types in agricultural soils

Researchers developed and validated an improved soil purification protocol for extracting microplastics from agricultural soils, based on systematic testing across different soil types to efficiently isolate plastic particles for polymer identification. The method built on prior work by Moller et al. (2022) and addressed the challenge that soil remains one of the most difficult matrices for microplastic analysis.

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

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Researchers developed a low-cost, accessible method for extracting and identifying microplastics from farmland soils using density separation, fluorescent staining, and infrared spectroscopy. The protocol achieved recovery rates between 82% and 101% across different soil types and particle sizes. This standardized approach could help scientists worldwide compare results more reliably and give policymakers better data on agricultural microplastic contamination.

2025 Journal of Visualized Experiments 4 citations
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

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

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

Enhancing Microplastic Transport Research in Agricultural Soils through Fluorescent Particles: A Simplified Method for Detection and Quantification

Researchers developed a simplified protocol using fluorescent microplastic particles to enable rapid detection and enumeration of MPs in agricultural soil and sediment without extraction, achieving approximately 90% recovery for 100-500 micrometer polyethylene and polylactic acid particles using size fractionation.

2024
Review Tier 2

Extraction and identification methods of microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural soil: A review

This review assessed extraction and identification methods for microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural soils, comparing density separation, chemical digestion, and spectroscopic identification approaches, and recommending method standardization to enable cross-study comparisons of soil MP contamination.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 164 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

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

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

Separation of microplastic from soil by centrifugation and its application to agricultural soil

Researchers developed a centrifugation-based protocol combined with Fenton oxidation and Nile Red fluorescence microscopy to efficiently separate and quantify microplastics from agricultural soil samples, recovering over 95% of spiked particles.

2021 Chemosphere 115 citations