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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Addressing Microplastic Size Distributions in a Large Lake: Adventures in Sampling and Analysis
ClearSize Distributions of Microplastics in the St Louis Estuary and Western Lake Superior
Researchers mapped the sizes, shapes, and types of microplastics in western Lake Superior and its harbor, finding roughly similar overall counts but meaningful differences in composition. Harbor samples near urban areas had larger particles and more diverse plastic types, while standard counting methods significantly underestimated the smallest particles (under 45 micrometers), highlighting gaps in how we measure microplastic pollution in freshwater.
Microplastic in Freshwater Environment: A Review on Techniques and Abundance for Microplastic Detection in Lake Water
This review examines microplastic pollution in freshwater environments, summarizing detection techniques and reporting on abundance data from rivers, lakes, and streams worldwide. The authors highlight methodological inconsistencies that complicate cross-study comparisons and call for standardized sampling and analysis protocols.
Closing the gap between small and smaller: towards a framework to analyse nano- and microplastics in aqueous environmental samples
This paper proposes an analytical framework for measuring both nano- and microplastics across a broad size spectrum in water samples, addressing the gap between methods optimized for either large microplastics or nanoparticles. A unified size-spanning approach is needed to fully characterize plastic pollution in aquatic environments where particles across many orders of magnitude coexist.
Assessing diversity, abundance, and mass of microplastics (~ 1–300 μm) in aquatic systems
Researchers developed improved methods for quantifying very small microplastic particles (roughly 1 to 300 micrometers) in freshwater systems, showing that conventional sampling dramatically underestimates plastic particle counts. Accurately measuring this smaller size fraction is critical for understanding real-world microplastic concentrations and their biological impacts.
The plastic size spectra: Assessing the size structure of plastic particles across the land-water ecotone.
Researchers applied size spectra analysis to characterize the size-frequency distribution of plastic particles across the land-water ecotone of 20 urban lakes, testing whether plastic pollution follows a detectable inverse size-frequency pattern similar to that observed in biological systems.
A reference methodology for microplastic particle size distribution analysis: Sampling, filtration, and detection by optical microscopy and image processing
This study developed a reference methodology for measuring microplastic particle size distributions in natural water, covering sampling, filtration, optical microscopy, and image processing. The authors showed that sample preparation steps and filtration materials significantly affect size distribution measurements across multiple orders of magnitude.
Research status and prospects of microplastic pollution in lakes
This review systematically covers microplastic pollution research in lakes, including sampling and identification methods, distribution patterns, ecological effects, and knowledge gaps, identifying lakes as important but understudied sinks for microplastic contamination.
Source- and polymer-specific size distributions of fine microplastics in surface water in an urban river
Researchers investigated size distributions of fine microplastics from different sources in an urban river, finding that weathering and fragmentation produce a range of particle sizes and that source-specific size signatures can help trace microplastic origins.
Microplastic concentrations, size distribution, and polymer types in the surface waters of a northern European lake
Microplastics were detected in surface waters of a northern European lake, with concentrations, size distributions, and polymer types characterized across multiple sampling sites and seasons. The study adds to growing evidence that even relatively pristine boreal lakes are contaminated with microplastics, likely from atmospheric deposition and tributary inflow.
The determination of microplastic contamination in freshwater environments using sampling methods – A case study
Polish researchers compared different net sizes and sampling volumes for collecting microplastics from freshwater lakes and found that fine nets (20 micrometer mesh) are essential for capturing the smallest plastic fibers, and that sampling larger volumes risks clogging in nutrient-rich water, leading to underestimates of contamination. The study is the first in Poland to demonstrate these methodological effects on microplastic abundance estimates and provides practical guidance for designing more accurate freshwater monitoring programs.
A review of methods for measuring microplastics in aquatic environments
This review critically evaluates methods used to measure microplastics in aquatic environments, covering sampling design, sample processing, and spectroscopic identification, and identifies the most significant sources of methodological variation. Standardizing these methods is essential for generating comparable data across studies and enabling robust environmental risk assessment.
Urban stormwater microplastic size distribution and impact of subsampling on polymer diversity
Researchers examined how subsampling affects the characterization of microplastics in urban stormwater, finding that small subsamples can underestimate polymer diversity and that fibrous microplastics dominated across urban and suburban sites.
Representative subsampling methods for the chemical identification of microplastic particles in environmental samples
Researchers evaluated different subsampling approaches for selecting microplastic particles from environmental samples for chemical identification, testing representativeness across particle count, size, and polymer type. The study identified best-practice protocols for achieving reliable estimates of plastic fraction and polymer composition from large heterogeneous samples.
Methods for Studying Microplastic Pollution in Natural Waters: Current State and Recommendations
This methodological review addresses the lack of standardization in how scientists sample, process, and report microplastic contamination in natural waters, which makes it nearly impossible to compare results across studies. It details quality assurance and quality control steps — especially important given how easily tiny plastic particles contaminate samples from the lab environment itself — and provides concrete recommendations for sampling protocols and data reporting. Harmonizing these methods is a critical step toward building a reliable global database of microplastic pollution.
A comparative review of microplastics in lake systems from different countries and regions
Researchers reviewed microplastic contamination data from lake systems across multiple countries, finding that abundance, size, and polymer type varied widely by region and identifying land use, population density, and hydrological connectivity as key drivers of lake microplastic levels.
Efficiency of five samplers to trap suspended particulate matter and microplastic particles of different sizes
This study compared the efficiency of five different samplers for collecting suspended particulate matter and microplastics from rivers and lakes, evaluating which designs provide the most representative samples for quantitative chemical and microplastic analysis.
Assessing the Lost Fraction: Diversity, Abundance, and Mass of Microplastics (1-300 µm) in Aquatic Systems
Researchers developed a protocol to quantify microplastics as small as 1 µm in aquatic systems, enabling polymer identification, particle volume estimation, and mass calculation. Sampling in Great South Bay, NY, revealed that particles in the 1-6 µm size range were most abundant, comprising approximately 75% of all detected microplastics, highlighting the importance of capturing this frequently overlooked small fraction.
Global occurrence characteristics, drivers, and environmental risk assessment of microplastics in lakes: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis of 42 studies found significant heterogeneity in microplastic pollution levels across global lakes, driven by geographical location and sampling methods. Small microplastics (under 1 mm) were disproportionately concentrated in sediment compared to water, and while most lakes showed low overall environmental risk, pollution levels in lake sediments were generally higher than in surrounding water.
Microplastics in Natural Water: Sources and Determination
This paper reviews the sources of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments and the analytical methods used to characterize and quantify microplastic particles, covering sampling, extraction, and identification techniques relevant to freshwater and marine monitoring.
Quantification of microplastics: Which parameters are essential for a reliable inter-study comparison?
Inconsistent measurement methods make it very difficult to compare microplastic data across studies. This paper proposes standardized guidelines for quantifying microplastic size and shape distributions, which would allow scientists to better track pollution levels over time and across locations.
Development and testing of a fractionated filtration for sampling of microplastics in water
Researchers developed and tested a fractionated filtration system for sampling microplastics in water bodies, proposing a standardized sampling concept that accounts for plastic-specific properties to improve comparability of microplastic data across different studies and environments.
Sampling methodology optimization for large microplastic (1-5mm)
This study optimized sampling methodology for collecting large microplastics (1-5mm) from beach environments, finding that standardized methods are needed to enable comparable results across different locations and research groups. The work contributes to the ongoing effort to harmonize microplastic monitoring practices worldwide.
Protocol for microplastic pollution monitoring in freshwater ecosystems: Towards a high-throughput sample processing - MICROPLASTREAM
Scientists developed a standardized high-throughput protocol for processing freshwater microplastic samples, addressing the challenge that freshwater samples contain far more organic matter than seawater. Consistent, efficient processing methods are essential for generating comparable microplastic data across different rivers and lakes.
Characterizing the multidimensionality of microplastics across environmental compartments
Researchers characterized the size, shape, polymer type, volume, and mass of over 60,000 individual microplastic particles collected from various aquatic environments including surface water, sediments, and organisms. They found that particle size distributions follow predictable mathematical patterns that differ by environmental compartment and polymer type. The findings provide a framework for more realistic risk assessments by capturing the full diversity of microplastic characteristics relevant to toxicology.