Papers

61,005 results
|
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

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

Extraction and decontamination of microplastics from high organic matter soils: A simple, cost-saving and high efficient method

Researchers developed and validated an optimized method to extract microplastics from organic-rich soils, finding that zinc chloride flotation combined with a dilute sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide digestion achieves 96-102% microplastic recovery while preserving the plastic particles intact. This practical, low-cost protocol fills an important methodological gap for studying microplastic contamination in agricultural soils where high organic matter typically interferes with detection.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 14 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

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

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

A novel method for organic matter removal from samples containing microplastics

Researchers developed a novel organic matter removal method for wastewater treatment plant sludge samples containing microplastics, demonstrating that the approach is more time- and cost-effective than existing techniques while preserving microplastic integrity for accurate quantification and identification.

2021 Environmental Pollution 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Identifying a quick and efficient method of removing organic matter without damaging microplastic samples

Researchers compared common organic-matter digestion protocols used before microplastic detection, finding significant variation in removal efficiency and polymer damage, and recommending optimized methods to avoid underestimating microplastic counts.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 311 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction of Polyethylene and Polypropylene Microplastic from Agriculture Soil

Researchers examined methods for extracting polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics from agricultural soil, investigating how microplastic concentrations affect soil properties and crop productivity while evaluating density separation and other extraction protocols to improve detection and quantification of plastic pollution in agroecosystems.

2024 International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology
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

Improving analytical methods for the extraction and analysis of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics in the soil environment.

Researchers worked to improve analytical extraction and detection methods for both biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil environments, addressing a critical methodological gap given that terrestrial soils are major sinks for microplastic pollution entering through agricultural and waste management pathways.

2022
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

The power of centrifugation: How to extract microplastics from soil with high recovery and matrix removal efficiency

This study developed and validated a centrifugation-based method for extracting microplastics from soil samples with high recovery and efficient removal of organic matter. The approach is particularly useful for monitoring the fragmentation and biodegradation of both conventional and biodegradable polymers released into agricultural soils.

2024 MethodsX 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Enzymatic purification of microplastics in soil

An enzymatic purification method was evaluated for removing biogenic organic material from soil samples prior to microplastic identification. The approach improved the accuracy of microplastic detection by reducing interference from soil organic matter compared to conventional chemical digestion methods.

2021 MethodsX 64 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
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Investigating microplastic dynamics in soils: Orientation for sampling strategies and sample pre‐procession

This study develops improved methods for sampling and detecting microplastics in soil, addressing a major gap in current research. Standardized sampling strategies are essential because microplastic distribution in soil is highly variable, making it easy to miss contamination with inconsistent methods. Better detection protocols will help scientists accurately measure how much microplastic is accumulating in agricultural and natural soils.

2020 Land Degradation and Development 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulation in agricultural soil: Evidence for the presence, potential effects, extraction, and current bioremediation approaches

This review examines the accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulching and irrigation, discussing their effects on soil properties and crop growth, along with current bioremediation approaches for removing soil microplastics.

2022 Journal of Applied Biology & Biotechnology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics in soil samples by using a thermal decomposition method

Researchers tested thermal decomposition as a method for extracting and identifying microplastics in soil samples, a particularly challenging matrix because organic matter interferes with optical detection methods. The approach showed promise for detecting and quantifying plastic content in complex soil environments.

2019 EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Developing a systematic method for extraction of microplastics in soils

A systematic comparison of microplastic extraction methods for soils tested hydrogen peroxide, potassium hydroxide, and Fenton's reagent for organic matter removal alongside density separation, finding that method performance varied strongly with soil organic matter content and particle size distribution.

2021 Analytical Methods 183 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive assessment of various digestion protocols for extraction microplastics from organic-rich environmental matrices

Researchers tested 27 different chemical protocols for extracting microplastics from organic-rich samples like animal tissue, plants, soil, and sewage sludge. They identified the best digestion method for each sample type that removes organic matter while preserving the integrity of 26 different plastic types. The optimized protocols achieved recovery rates above 98%, offering a standardized approach for more accurate microplastic analysis across different environmental samples.

2025 Water Research 10 citations
Article Tier 2

A Simplified and Optimised Protocol for Microplastics Determination in Soil and Sludge Applied Soils

Researchers developed and validated a simplified, optimized protocol for determining microplastic concentrations in soil and sewage sludge, addressing the methodological inconsistency that currently makes comparison between global studies difficult.

2025 Sustainability Sciences in Asia and Africa
Review Tier 2

Comparative Review of Instrumental Techniques and Methods for the Analysis of Microplastics in Agricultural Matrices

This comparative review examined instrumental techniques and methods for analyzing microplastics in agricultural matrices such as soil and compost, discussing the trade-offs between extraction efficiency, particle integrity, and analytical accuracy. The authors recommend approaches for standardizing microplastic analysis in complex solid matrices.

2023 Microplastics 19 citations
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

A novel multi-criteria decision analysis approach to advance standardisation of microplastic extraction from agricultural soils

Researchers developed a standardized method for extracting microplastics from agricultural soils using a multi-criteria decision framework that weighed recovery efficiency, cost, time, and environmental impact. The winning combination — hydrogen peroxide digestion at 50°C followed by zinc chloride density separation — achieved over 92% recovery of microplastics across diverse soil types.

2026 Soil Advances