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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Particle Size and Pre-Treatment Effects on Polystyrene Microplastic Settlement in Water: Implications for Environmental Behavior and Ecotoxicological Tests
ClearThe challenge in preparing particle suspensions for aquatic microplastic research
Researchers systematically evaluated methods for preparing microplastic particle suspensions for laboratory studies, finding that cryogenic ball milling effectively produces particles in the 1–200 µm range and that ozone treatment stabilizes polystyrene suspensions by reducing wall-creep effects, though it alters dissolved organic carbon levels and particle size distribution.
Preparation of polystyrene microplastic particles by solvent-dissolution-precipitation
Researchers developed a controlled laboratory method to produce polystyrene microplastic particles in specific sizes ranging from 0.35 to 52 microns by dissolving and re-precipitating polystyrene in solvents, creating reference materials that closely mimic environmental microplastics. These standardized particles are essential for calibrating detection methods and conducting reliable toxicology research on microplastic health effects.
Effects of size and surface charge on the sedimentation of nanoplastics in freshwater
Researchers investigated how size and surface charge of polystyrene nanoplastics affect their sedimentation behavior in freshwater, finding that both properties significantly influence aggregation dynamics and settling rates, with implications for predicting nanoplastic fate in aquatic environments.
Settling behaviour of irregular-shaped polystyrene microplastics
Researchers studied the settling behavior of irregular-shaped polystyrene microplastics in water, finding that shape significantly affects how fast particles sink. Understanding settling behavior is important for predicting how microplastics distribute vertically in rivers and ocean water columns.
Validated method for polystyrene nanoplastic separation in aqueous matrices by asymmetric-flow field flow fraction coupled to MALS and UV–Vis detectors
Researchers developed and fully validated a method to accurately measure nanoplastic particle sizes (30–490 nm) in water using a technique that combines flow separation with light-scattering detection. Having a validated analytical method is a critical step for standardizing how nanoplastics are measured across laboratories, enabling more consistent assessment of their environmental risks.
Aggregation in experimental studies with microparticles: Experimental settings change particle size distribution during exposure
Researchers investigated how experimental conditions including exposure duration, particle concentration, organic carbon content, and test organism presence affect microplastic aggregation in ecotoxicological experiments, finding that particle size distribution changed substantially during experiments. Failure to account for aggregation during exposure leads to inconsistent and unreliable toxicity results across studies.
An assessment of methods used for the generation and characterization of cryomilled polystyrene micro- and nanoplastic particles
Researchers evaluated cryomilling as a method for generating environmentally realistic microplastic and nanoplastic particles from polystyrene for use in laboratory studies. They found that increasing the number of milling cycles consistently produced smaller particles without altering the polymer's chemical composition. The study provides optimized protocols for creating heterogeneous test particles that more closely resemble the microplastics found in real environmental samples.
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.
Evaluating the influence of polystyrene standards on quantification in environmental samples
Researchers tested how different types and molecular weights of polystyrene standards affect the accuracy of a common analytical method used to measure microplastics in environmental samples. They found that the choice of standard material can significantly over- or underestimate actual microplastic concentrations, with low-molecular-weight standards causing the most inaccurate readings. The study calls for greater standardization in analytical methods to ensure reliable microplastic measurements across studies.
Engineered Polystyrene-Based Microplastics of High Environmental Relevance
Researchers developed a method for creating laboratory microplastic particles that more closely resemble the weathered, environmentally relevant microplastics found in nature. They demonstrated that standard pristine microplastic beads used in most toxicity studies have very different surface properties than real-world particles, which may lead to inaccurate risk assessments. The study provides the research community with more realistic test materials for studying the true environmental and health impacts of microplastic pollution.
Addressing the relevance of polystyrene nano- and microplastic particles used to support exposure, toxicity and risk assessment: implications and recommendations
This paper raises important concerns about how most microplastic safety studies use commercially manufactured polystyrene beads that differ significantly from the weathered, irregular plastic particles people actually encounter in the environment. The uniform lab beads have different shapes, surface chemistry, and chemical compositions than real-world microplastics, which means current toxicity studies may not accurately represent the true health risks of environmental plastic exposure.
Effect of Agitation Method on the Nanosized Degradation of Polystyrene Microplastics Dispersed in Water
Researchers tested whether different types of physical agitation — rotation, shaking, or flow — cause polystyrene particles to degrade into nanoplastics in water. Only rotation mixing produced nanoplastics from the polystyrene starting material, suggesting that turbulent water movement may drive the smallest plastic fragments into ecosystems.
Studies of the effects of microplastics on aquatic organisms: What do we know and where should we focus our efforts in the future?
This review critically evaluates published research on microplastic effects on aquatic organisms and identifies significant gaps between laboratory experiments and real-world conditions. Researchers found that most studies use polystyrene spheres at concentrations far higher than those found in the environment, while the most common microplastics in nature are fragments and fibers of other polymer types. The study calls for more environmentally realistic experimental designs to better understand the actual ecological risks of microplastic pollution.
A method for efficient separation of polystyrene nanoplastics and its application in natural freshwater
Researchers developed a method using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with multiple detectors to efficiently separate and characterize polystyrene nanoplastics by particle size in freshwater environments, demonstrating its applicability for analysing nanoplastic environmental behaviour in natural freshwater samples.
Simple Generation of Suspensible Secondary Microplastic Reference Particles via Ultrasound Treatment
Researchers developed a simple ultrasound treatment method to generate suspensible secondary microplastic reference particles from bulk plastic material, producing heterogeneous fragments with broad size ranges and aged surface characteristics suitable for standardized laboratory testing.
Supposedly identical microplastic particles substantially differ in their material properties influencing particle-cell interactions and cellular responses
Researchers characterized two commercially available polystyrene microplastic particles that are nominally identical and commonly used in toxicity studies. They found substantial differences in monomer content, surface charge, and how the particles interacted with cells, leading to different effects on cell metabolism and proliferation. The study emphasizes that poorly characterized microplastic test particles can produce contradictory results, complicating efforts to draw general conclusions about microplastic effects.
Ecotoxicity testing of microplastics: Considering the heterogeneity of physicochemical properties
Researchers reviewed how the diverse physical and chemical properties of microplastics, including particle size, shape, crystallinity, surface chemistry, and polymer composition, may influence their ecotoxicity. They argue that standard testing with uniform microbeads fails to capture the heterogeneity of environmental microplastics and may lead to inaccurate risk assessments. The study calls for a more structured approach to testing different microplastic properties to identify the key drivers of toxicity.
Nanoplastics in the oceans: Theory, experimental evidence and real world
Researchers critically review over 200 studies on nanoplastic pollution — focusing predominantly on polystyrene — synthesizing knowledge on how nanoplastics form from polymer degradation, accumulate in seawater, and affect organisms in controlled conditions, while identifying key methodological standards needed for reliable ecotoxicological assessments.
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.
Not all microplastics are created equal. Quantifying efficacy bias and validation of density separation methods
Researchers systematically evaluated density separation methods used to extract microplastics from environmental matrices (water, soil, sediment), investigating whether efficacy varies by polymer density and identifying potential sources of bias in current approaches. The study highlighted risks from lack of methodological standardisation and called for detailed reporting to improve reproducibility across microplastics research.
Separate determination of polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics in water by membrane filtration and gel permeation chromatography-ultraviolet detection analysis
Researchers developed a practical laboratory method to separately measure polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics in water samples using membrane filtration and a specialized chromatography technique. The method was validated in both environmental water and tap water, confirming the presence of nanoplastics through multiple analytical approaches. This represents an important step forward in the ability to accurately distinguish between different sizes of plastic pollution in drinking and environmental water.
Standardizing microplastics used for establishing recovery efficiency when assessing microplastics in environmental samples
Researchers evaluated recovery efficiency practices in microplastic environmental assessment studies published in 2020, finding appreciable variability in the density and size of microplastic particles used across investigations, which undermines the ability to compare results between studies. The authors call for standardized recovery efficiency protocols using realistic microplastic mixtures that better reflect environmental sample conditions.
Review of ecotoxicological studies of widely used polystyrene nanoparticles
Researchers reviewed ecotoxicological studies on manufactured polystyrene nanoparticles and their effects on aquatic organisms. They found that many studies used insufficiently characterized particles and short-term exposure conditions that may not reflect real environmental scenarios. The review recommends improved particle characterization, proper purification before testing, and longer-term exposure studies to generate more environmentally relevant toxicity data.
Validation of Sample Preparation Methods for Microplastic Analysis in Wastewater Matrices—Reproducibility and Standardization
Sample preparation methods for microplastic analysis in wastewater were validated against reference standards to assess recovery rates and reproducibility. The validation study identified methods that reliably extract microplastics from complex wastewater matrices, supporting more consistent environmental monitoring of microplastic discharge from treatment plants.