Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A practical method for mass quantification of microplastics in soil media using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Researchers developed and validated a pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) method for quantifying polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics in soil, achieving low detection limits (0.02-0.44 microgram), strong linearity, and recovery rates of 86-100% across three soil types. Cryomilling improved homogeneity and accuracy by 3.2%, and FTIR confirmed polymer identities with over 85% spectral match.

2025 MethodsX
Article Tier 2

Determination of microplastics in agricultural soil by double‐shot pyrolysis‐gas chromatography combined with two‐step extraction

Researchers developed a pyrolysis-gas chromatography method combining two-step solvent extraction to simultaneously measure five common microplastic polymer types (PC, PS, PP, PE, PET) in agricultural soil samples with good sensitivity and linearity. A reliable, validated method for quantifying microplastics in soil is essential for understanding how agricultural practices and plastic mulch use contribute to soil contamination and potential human dietary exposure.

2023 Journal of Separation Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of Polystyrene Microplastic in Soil by Pyrolysis – Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (pyr-GC-MS)

This study developed and validated a pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC-MS) method for quantifying polystyrene microplastics in soil samples. The technique offers a sensitive analytical approach for detecting plastic contamination in terrestrial environments.

2023 Analytical Letters 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Measuring micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils by py-GC/MS-IRMS

Researchers applied pyrolysis-GC/MS coupled with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS-IRMS) to measure micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils, demonstrating that this technique can quantify nanoplastic concentrations below the detection limits of optical methods like micro-FTIR and micro-Raman spectroscopy.

2025
Article Tier 2

Plastic Quantification and Polyethylene Overestimation in Agricultural Soil Using Large-Volume Pyrolysis and TD-GC-MS/MS

Researchers developed a method for quantifying microplastics in large soil samples using pyrolysis combined with thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. They found that organic matter in agricultural soils can cause significant overestimation of polyethylene concentrations, particularly when samples are not properly pre-treated. The study emphasizes the need for careful method validation to avoid false-positive microplastic measurements in complex environmental samples.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 12 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

Quantification and Analysis of Microplastics in Farmland Soils: Characterization, Sources, and Pathways

This study quantified and characterized microplastics in farmland soils from multiple sites, identifying agricultural mulch films, irrigation water, and compost as major sources and documenting widespread soil contamination across different farming regions.

2021 Agriculture 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Identification by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (py-GCMS)

This paper reviews pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) as a method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples. The technique can identify specific polymer types even in complex environmental matrices where visual identification is difficult.

2019
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

Optimization, performance, and application of a pyrolysis-GC/MS method for the identification of microplastics

Researchers optimized a pyrolysis-GC/MS method for identifying and quantifying microplastics in environmental samples, improving the reliability of polymer identification especially for small particles that are difficult to classify visually. The improved method is particularly valuable for analyzing the smallest microplastic size fractions that dominate by number in marine environments.

2018 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 329 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of microplastics in environmental samples via pressurized liquid extraction and pyrolysis-gas chromatography

Researchers combined pressurized liquid extraction with pyrolysis-gas chromatography to quantify microplastics in environmental samples, validating the method against reference materials and real-world samples. The approach offers a quantitative, polymer-specific measurement of bulk microplastic mass in sediments and soils, complementing particle-counting methods.

2019 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 313 citations
Article Tier 2

Chromatografische Verfahren zur Charakterisierung von Mikroplastik im Boden

This study reviewed chromatographic methods for characterizing microplastics in soil, assessing their suitability for identifying and quantifying the diverse polymer types accumulating in terrestrial environments due to decades of widespread plastic use.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastics analysis in environmental samples – recent pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method improvements to increase the reliability of mass-related data

This study improved pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) methods for measuring mass-related microplastic data in environmental samples, enhancing reliability and sensitivity for trace-level analysis. Better analytical methods are essential for accurately quantifying microplastic contamination across diverse environmental matrices.

2019 Analytical Methods 224 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of microplastic targets in environmental matrices using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study developed and validated a pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry protocol for quantifying common microplastic polymer types in complex environmental matrices, providing a reliable thermal analysis method for assessing microplastic pollution.

2024 Environmental Science Advances 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in Farmland soils: A review on types, sources, analytical methods, environmental and human health risks

This review synthesizes research on microplastic pollution in farmland soils, covering polymer types, sources from mulch films and sewage sludge, analytical detection methods, and effects on soil ecosystems and crop productivity.

2025 Tanzania Journal of Science
Article Tier 2

Simultaneous Trace Identification and Quantification of Common Types of Microplastics in Environmental Samples by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a method for simultaneous trace identification and quantification of common microplastic types in environmental samples, improving detection efficiency and enabling more accurate monitoring of multiple plastic polymers at once.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology 589 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploration of Source-SpecificMarkers for SecondaryMicroplastics Derived from Polyolefin-Coated Fertilizers

Researchers developed a source-attribution framework for identifying polyolefin-coated fertilizer-derived microplastics in agricultural soil, using characteristic fatty acids and levoglucosan as chemical markers detectable via thermal desorption GC-MS. The framework correctly identified 14 of 15 environmental microplastic samples as fertilizer-derived, demonstrating a practical method for tracking agricultural microplastic origins.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Analytical Approaches for Analyzing Microplastics Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and Accelerated Solvent Extraction

Using a combination of solvent extraction and pyrolysis-based mass analysis, researchers quantified five plastic polymers in biosolids from two municipal wastewater treatment plants, finding that polyethylene dominated by mass. This mass-based approach complements particle-counting methods and provides a clearer picture of the true polymer burden in sludge that is often spread on agricultural soil, creating a potential pathway for microplastics to enter the food chain.

2026 CUNY Academic Works (City University of New York)
Article Tier 2

Development of an analytical method for the analysis of microplastics by Pyrolysis-GC/MS : application on Seine River sediments

Researchers developed and validated an analytical method using pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) for quantifying microplastics in complex environmental matrices, applying it to Seine River sediment samples rich in mineral and organic matter. They found that Py-GC/MS effectively determined mass concentrations of target polymers and proved complementary to micro-FTIR, though interfering compounds from organic-rich matrices required careful method optimization.

2024 theses.fr (ABES)
Article Tier 2

An overview of microplastics characterization by thermal analysis

This review explores the potential of thermal analytical techniques - including thermogravimetry and pyrolysis-GC/MS - for identifying and characterizing microplastics in environmental samples, covering both manufactured primary microplastics and degradation-derived secondary ones. Thermal methods offer advantages for bulk quantification and polymer identification that complement spectroscopic approaches.

2019 Chemosphere 213 citations
Article Tier 2

Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS method for the target/untargeted analysis of microplastics in air

Researchers developed a pyrolysis-gas chromatography method coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry for detecting microplastics in air samples. The technique was optimized for ten common plastic polymers and achieved detection limits in the low microgram range. The study demonstrates that this analytical approach can identify both known and unknown plastic polymers in airborne particulate matter.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic analysis in soils: A comparative assessment

Researchers compared six different analytical methods for detecting and measuring microplastics in soil, testing them across different soil types and plastic materials. Fluorescence microscopy achieved the highest recovery rates for larger particles, while mass-based techniques like pyrolysis gas chromatography were better suited for detecting very small microplastics. The study highlights that no single method works best for all situations, and combining techniques may be necessary for accurate microplastic assessment in soil.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics in the environment: Identification and quantification of trace levels of common types of plastic polymers using pyrolysis-GC/MS

Researchers developed analytical methods using pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for identifying and quantifying 12 common plastic polymers in environmental samples. The validated method achieved detection limits as low as 0.1 micrograms and was successfully applied to analyze microplastics collected from three Mediterranean beaches in northeastern Spain.

2023 MethodsX 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soil

This book chapter surveys microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, reviewing the sources of plastic inputs, concentrations found in different farming systems, and the effects of MPs on soil properties, microbial communities, and crop yields.

2025