Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Rapid on-site analysis of soil microplastics using miniaturized NIR spectrometers: Key aspect of instrumental variation

Researchers tested several handheld near-infrared spectrometers to see if they could quickly identify microplastics in soil samples without extensive lab work. The study found that while these portable devices show promise for rapid on-site screening, the choice of sensor matters significantly since different instruments vary widely in their ability to distinguish between polymer types.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Laboratory Designed Portable Device for Density Separation and Characterization of Microplastics in Environmental Soil Samples

Scientists designed a small, portable device for extracting microplastics from soil and sediment samples using a density separation method with different salt solutions, successfully isolating PET, LDPE, PVC, and PP from samples collected in school yards, lakesides, and agricultural fields. A portable, low-cost device lowers the barrier to field-based microplastic monitoring and could enable wider participation in pollution surveys.

2024 Letters in Applied NanoBioScience 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soils: assessment, analytics and risks

This review examines microplastic prevalence, analytical methods, and risks in soils, finding that terrestrial microplastic contamination has received far less attention than marine accumulation despite comparable or greater abundance. Researchers evaluated current difficulties in soil microplastic sampling, isolation, and identification and called for standardised methodologies to assess ecological and human health risks.

2018 Environmental Chemistry 150 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid Monitoring Approach for Microplastics Using Portable Pyrolysis-Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a rapid monitoring method for microplastics using a portable pyrolysis-mass spectrometry system that can identify polymer types and quantify particles smaller than 5 mm in the field without lengthy laboratory preparation. The approach offers a promising tool for fast, on-site microplastic surveillance in environmental samples.

2020 Analytical Chemistry 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Sample Preparation Techniques for the Analysis of Microplastics in Soil—A Review

Sample preparation techniques for microplastic analysis in soil were reviewed and compared, noting that methods developed for aquatic systems are often inadequate for the complexity of soil matrices. The review highlights newly developed soil-specific methods and emphasizes the need for standardization to enable reliable comparison of terrestrial microplastic data.

2020 Sustainability 224 citations
Article Tier 2

Quality assessment of research studies on microplastics in soils: A methodological perspective

A methodological quality assessment of published soil microplastic studies identified widespread inconsistencies in extraction, identification, and reporting protocols that limit comparability and reliability of findings. The review recommends adoption of standardized quality criteria to improve the rigor and reproducibility of soil microplastic research.

2022 Chemosphere 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Status quo of operation procedures for soil sampling to analyze microplastics

Researchers reviewed 106 studies on measuring microplastics in soil and found widespread inconsistency in sampling methods, sample sizes, and reporting standards, making it nearly impossible to compare results across studies. They call for a standardized protocol to ensure reproducible, comparable data that can actually inform policy to limit microplastic contamination of agricultural and natural soils.

2023 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 20 citations
Review Tier 2

Finding Microplastics in Soils: A Review of Analytical Methods

This review critically evaluates published methods for finding microplastics in soil — including density separation, chemical digestion, and spectroscopic identification — and proposes a standardized analytical framework suitable for the complex soil matrix.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 521 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

A Review of Analytical Methods for Microplastics in Soils

This review systematically examines analytical methods for detecting and quantifying microplastics in soil, including visual analysis, chemical analysis, spectroscopic techniques, microscopy, and mass spectrometry. The authors evaluate the advantages, limitations, and scope of each method, noting that no single technique covers all particle sizes and polymer types. The review calls for continued innovation in analytical methods to provide more effective tools for addressing soil microplastic pollution.

2024 Current Analytical Chemistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in soil description and surveys – practical considerations and field guide

This field guide proposed a practical framework for describing and classifying plastics encountered during standard soil surveys, arguing that current international soil description standards inadequately capture the diversity and significance of plastic pollution in soils. The authors provided visual identification keys and quantification approaches compatible with existing soil survey protocols.

2022 Frontiers in Soil Science 8 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

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

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

Microplastics occurrence and frequency in soils under different land uses on a regional scale

A regional-scale survey measured microplastic occurrence in soils under different land uses (agricultural, urban, natural), finding that concentrations varied by land use type and that real-world field concentrations were often lower than those used in laboratory ecotoxicology studies.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 304 citations
Article Tier 2

Field-Portable Microplastic Sensing in Aqueous Environments: A Perspective on Emerging Techniques

This review examines emerging field-portable technologies for detecting and quantifying microplastics in aqueous environments, discussing optical, spectroscopic, and electrochemical sensing approaches. Researchers identify the lack of a standardized, rapid on-site method as the primary bottleneck limiting accurate real-world microplastic monitoring.

2021 Sensors 44 citations
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

Sample Collection, Preparation, and Identification of Microplastics in Soil: Issues and Recommendations

An evaluation of microplastic sampling and identification protocols from 39 global soil studies found major inconsistencies in sample collection strategies, preparation methods, and detection techniques, and proposed standardized recommendations to improve data comparability.

2025 Sustainability Sciences in Asia and Africa
Article Tier 2

Innovations in analytical methods to assess the occurrence of microplastics in soil

This review summarizes emerging techniques for extracting, analyzing, and characterizing microplastics in soil, noting that soil matrix complexity makes standardized methods challenging. Researchers found that globally, soil microplastic concentrations ranged up to 690,000 particles per kilogram, though most data comes from China. The study highlights the urgent need for standardized analytical methods to enable meaningful comparison of microplastic soil contamination across different studies and laboratories.

2022 Journal of environmental chemical engineering 70 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 soil: Current status and evaluation of the greenness of various analytical methods of identification

Researchers reviewed the current state of microplastic research in soils, finding some studies report up to 85,000 microplastic particles per kilogram of dry soil, while most existing lab methods for detecting them score poorly on environmental sustainability — calling for greener analytical approaches to match the scale of the problem.

2022 Green Analytical Chemistry 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress on Separation and Detection Methods of Microplastics in Soil Environment

This review summarizes methods for separating and detecting microplastics in soil environments, identifying the most effective analytical approaches and highlighting the need for standardization to improve comparability across studies.

2022 Academic Journal of Science and Technology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A methodological approach of the current literature on microplastic contamination in terrestrial environments: Current knowledge and baseline considerations

This review of microplastic pollution in terrestrial and agricultural soils finds that a lack of standardized extraction and identification procedures makes most studies incomparable, calling for baseline contamination controls and harmonized reporting of concentrations, morphotypes, and analytical methods. The authors identify knowledge gaps for future research and provide minimum recommended procedures for field studies.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 155 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