Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Developmentof Standardized Methods to Extract andDigest Microplastics in Environmental Samples

Researchers reviewed and compared extraction and digestion methods for isolating microplastics from environmental samples, finding that the lack of standardization across techniques is a major barrier to producing comparable results and calling for validated universal protocols.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Development of Standardized Methods to Extract and Digest Microplastics in Environmental Samples

Researchers tested 72 combinations of chemical extraction and digestion methods to find approaches that accurately recover microplastics from environmental samples without damaging them. They found that different density separation solutions and digestion reagents can significantly alter the physical and chemical properties of certain plastic types, particularly PET and polystyrene. The study provides practical guidance for selecting methods that preserve microplastic integrity during laboratory analysis.

2025 Analytical Chemistry 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation and optimisation of sample preparation protocols suitable for the analysis of plastic particles present in seafood

Ten digestion protocols for extracting microplastics from seafood were compared across a broad range of species, evaluating their ability to fully digest tissue without damaging polymer integrity, providing a basis for selecting suitable methods for human exposure assessment.

2021 Food Control 37 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

Extraction of microplastic from biota: recommended acidic digestion destroys common plastic polymers

This study tested standard acidic tissue digestion protocols used to extract microplastics from marine organisms and found that the recommended nitric acid treatment destroyed certain common plastic types beyond recognition. The findings warn that protocols designed to remove biological tissue can inadvertently degrade the very microplastics researchers are trying to detect.

2016 ICES Journal of Marine Science 252 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimization and application of pretreatment method of microplastics detection in municipal solid waste landfills

Researchers compared different pretreatment digestion methods for detecting microplastics in municipal solid waste landfill samples, establishing which protocols best remove organic matter without degrading the plastic particles themselves.

2024 Waste Management 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation of microplastics in biota-rich seawater samples and marine organisms

Researchers developed and tested methods for extracting microplastics from seawater samples rich in biological material and from the tissues of marine organisms. They found that enzymatic digestion was the most effective and least destructive approach for isolating microplastics from biological samples, outperforming acid and alkaline treatments. The study provides improved laboratory protocols that will help scientists more accurately measure microplastic contamination in marine environments and wildlife.

2014 Scientific Reports 1035 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficacy of chemical digestion methods to reveal undamaged microplastics from planktonic samples

Researchers compared several chemical methods for removing biological material from marine water samples so that microplastics associated with plankton can be accurately identified. They found that alkaline and oxidative digestion methods were the most effective at breaking down plankton while causing minimal damage to the microplastic particles themselves. The study contributes to standardizing laboratory techniques so that microplastic measurements across different research groups are more comparable and reliable.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative study of matrix etching methods for the separation of microplastics from environmental samples

Researchers compared commonly used chemical methods for separating microplastics from environmental samples, testing different configurations of time, temperature, and agitation. They found that oxidative digestion with a high concentration of oxidant was the most effective approach for both bulk and compact sample types. The study provides practical guidance for selecting the most efficient and safe matrix etching method for microplastic extraction in environmental research.

2025 Desalination and Water Treatment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

An optimized acidic digestion for the isolation of microplastics from biota-rich samples and cellulose acetate matrices

Researchers optimized an acidic oxidative digestion protocol for isolating microplastics from biologically rich samples while preserving cellulose acetate plastics that are often destroyed by alkaline digestion, expanding the range of polymer types recoverable from environmental and biological matrices.

2023 Environmental Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on plankton samples: Multiple digestion techniques assessment based on weight, size, and FTIR spectroscopy analyses

This study compared KOH, hydrogen peroxide, and two-step digestion protocols for removing organic matter from plankton samples before microplastic analysis, finding that two-step protocols improved recovery but that all methods caused measurable changes in microplastic weight and size, necessitating protocol standardization.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic sample purification methods - Assessing detrimental effects of purification procedures on specific plastic types

Researchers assessed how common microplastic purification methods affect different polymer types, finding that acidic and alkaline digestion can degrade certain plastics like polycarbonate and polyamide, potentially leading to underestimation in environmental samples.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimising sample preparation for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge samples: multiple digestions

Researchers optimized sample digestion protocols for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge, finding that multiple sequential digestion steps improve removal of organic matter while minimizing polymer degradation.

2021 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Development and Validation of an Efficient Method for Processing Microplastics in Biota Samples

A new one-step laboratory method was developed to efficiently digest and extract microplastics from mussel and fish tissue samples. Standardized extraction methods are critical for making microplastic studies comparable across different labs and species.

2019 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Critical comparison of rapid methods for the extraction of microplastics from wastewater and investigation of a facile alternative

Researchers critically compared rapid extraction methods for microplastics from wastewater samples and investigated a facile alternative approach, evaluating how well established protocols perform on environmental samples relative to their original optimization conditions.

2025 Chemosphere
Article Tier 2

Validation of microplastic sample preparation method for freshwater samples

Researchers developed and validated a standardized sample preparation method for extracting microplastics from freshwater samples, testing enzymatic digestion and density separation steps to improve recovery rates and reduce measurement uncertainty across different particle types.

2021 Water Research 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Extracting and characterizing microplastics and nanoplastics from environmental samples

Researchers developed a standardized four-step extraction method for isolating and characterizing microplastics and nanoplastics from diverse environmental samples, encompassing predigestion, density separation, postdigestion, and postdensity separation steps to improve cross-study comparability.

2025 Nature Protocols 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Solvent-Based Elimination of Organic Matter from Marine-Collected Plastics

Researchers developed a solvent-based method to remove biofouling and organic matter from plastic litter collected from the marine environment before chemical analysis. Reliable protocols for cleaning marine plastics are important for accurately characterizing the types and properties of microplastics in ocean environments.

2021 Environments 6 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

Optimization of a method used for extracting microplastics from an organic matter-rich matrix and isolated particles assessment

Researchers optimized a method for extracting microplastics from sewage sludge — a challenging organic-rich matrix — by combining density separation and chemical digestion steps, improving recovery rates and enabling more accurate characterization of sludge-associated microplastics.

2025 Chemosphere 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Establishing freshwater sediment sample pretreatment methods for monitoring microplastics and its challenges

This review evaluates the various sample preparation methods used to extract microplastics from freshwater sediment, which contains more organic matter and debris than other environmental samples. Researchers compared different digestion, density separation, and filtration techniques and found that no single standardized approach exists. The study highlights the urgent need for consistent protocols so that microplastic monitoring results from different locations can be meaningfully compared.

2024 Chemical Engineering Journal 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Enzymatic Purification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples

Researchers developed an enzymatic purification protocol to remove biological material from environmental samples before microplastic analysis, finding it improved the accuracy and reliability of microplastic identification and quantification.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology 506 citations