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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to A meta-analysis of methodologies adopted by microplastic studies in China
ClearExperimental inconsistencies undermine accurate characterization of microplastics and identification of environmental drivers:a metadata analysis in Chinese aquatic environment
Researchers analyzed microplastic data from over 2,400 sampling sites across Chinese waterways and found that inconsistent lab methods — such as different sampling devices and container sizes — dramatically skew results and obscure the real environmental drivers of microplastic contamination. They found that method variation reduced the measurable link between natural processes and microplastic characteristics by up to 70%, underscoring the urgent need for standardized protocols in microplastics research.
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.
Methods for sampling, processing, identification,and quantification of microplastics in the marine environment
This paper reviews and compares the various methods used to collect, process, identify, and quantify microplastics across different environmental samples. It highlights the lack of standardized protocols as a major obstacle to comparing results across studies and calls for methodological harmonization.
A critical review of microplastics characterisation in aquatic environments: recent trends in the last 10 years
This critical review assessed current approaches to characterizing microplastics in aquatic environments, evaluating sampling methods, extraction protocols, and analytical techniques. It identified persistent inconsistencies in methodology and recommended standardization practices to improve data comparability.
Microplastic contamination in the yangtze river: Evaluating pollution levels and the need for standardized research methods
This review synthesizes data from 21 studies to assess microplastic pollution levels across the Yangtze River Basin, characterizing particles by abundance, size, shape, and polymer type while applying strict QA/QC protocols and highlighting the critical need for standardized research methods.
Disparities in Methods Used to Determine Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: A Review of Legislation, Sampling Process and Instrumental Analysis
This review examined the wide disparities in sampling, processing, and analytical methods used across microplastic studies, highlighting how inconsistent approaches make it difficult to compare results and calling for standardized international protocols and regulatory frameworks.
Microplastic pollution research methodologies, abundance, characteristics and risk assessments for aquatic biota in China
Researchers reviewed the current state of microplastic pollution research in China's aquatic environments, covering detection methods, abundance data, characteristics, and risk assessments for aquatic organisms. The review highlights that China's marine and freshwater environments are seriously polluted by microplastics, with ingestion by aquatic organisms posing potential ecological harm.
A novel framework-based meta-analysis for in-depth characterization of microplastic pollution and associated ecological risks in Chinese Bays
Microplastic abundance in Chinese bays ranged from 0.26 to 89,500 items/m3 in water and 15 to 6,434 items/kg in sediment, with sampling methods and geographic location identified as major drivers of observed variation. ARIMA modeling predicted that Sanggou Bay and Hangzhou Bay face the highest risk of significantly increasing future contamination.
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.
Recommended best practices for collecting, analyzing, and reporting microplastics in environmental media: Lessons learned from comprehensive monitoring of San Francisco Bay
Researchers developed and tested standardized methods for collecting, analyzing, and reporting microplastics during a comprehensive monitoring study of San Francisco Bay. They identified best practices for sampling across water, sediment, and fish tissue, and highlighted how methodological differences can lead to incomparable results between studies. The study provides a practical framework that other monitoring programs can adopt to improve the consistency and reliability of microplastic data.
Microplastic analysis—are we measuring the same? Results on the first global comparative study for microplastic analysis in a water sample
Researchers conducted the first international comparative study of analytical methods for microplastic analysis in a water sample and found that comparability between methods was highly limited, underscoring the urgent need for standardized protocols in microplastic research.
Critical reassessment of microplastic detection methodologies and abundances in the marine environment
This review critically reassesses methodological limitations in marine microplastic detection, arguing that inconsistent size fractionation, incomplete polymer identification, and lack of standardized protocols across studies prevent reliable estimation of global MP abundance in the marine environment.
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.
Methodological similarities and discrepancies among studies on microplastics in South American continental aquatic environments
Researchers conducted a systematic review of 57 studies on microplastic pollution in South American continental aquatic environments, identifying significant methodological discrepancies in sampling, detection limits, and sample preparation that limit cross-study comparability and proposing standardization approaches.
Assessment of microplastic content in natural waters and sediments: sampling and sample preparation
Researchers reviewed and evaluated sampling and analytical methods for measuring microplastic content in natural waters and sediments, assessing sources of error and variability in current approaches. The review recommended a standardized protocol to improve cross-study comparability.
The assessment of microplastic and microfibres in freshwater systems through different sampling methods reveals causes of incomparability.
Researchers performed a literature mining study on microplastic abundance in freshwater systems, finding that large discrepancies between studies arise not only from inherent environmental variability but from methodological differences in sampling and analytical approaches, highlighting the urgent need for standardized protocols.
Microplastic contamination in the yangtze river: Evaluating pollution levels and the need for standardized research methods
This review synthesizes data from 21 studies to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of microplastic pollution throughout the Yangtze River Basin, applying QA/QC protocols to characterize particle abundance, size, shape, and polymer type while calling for standardized research methods to improve comparability.
Advancing the quality of environmental microplastic research
This review examines the rapidly growing field of environmental microplastic research, discussing the methodological inconsistencies that limit comparability across studies and calling for improved quality standards to support robust regulatory and scientific conclusions.
Recalculating national occurrence of microplastics in China’s freshwater
Researchers developed a size-abundance correction method to harmonize inconsistent microplastic field observations across China's freshwater systems. After recalculating data from over 1,300 sampling points, they found average microplastic abundance was 4,785 particles per cubic meter, considerably higher than previously reported, though 83.9% of locations showed low ecological risk with unexpectedly high risk in undeveloped northwestern regions.
Microplastics: A Review of Methodology for Sampling and Characterizing Environmental and Biological Samples
This review examines the range of methodologies available for sampling and characterising environmental microplastics, highlighting how variability in collection, separation, detection, and identification procedures limits cross-study comparisons and discussing how complementary technique combinations can improve standardisation and data quality.
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.
Techniques for Collecting Micro Plastics in Freshwaters and Sediments
This review examined sampling methods used across 150 studies on microplastics in freshwater bodies and sediments, finding significant variation in sampling tools, mesh sizes, and analytical approaches that make it difficult to compare results across studies. Standardizing sampling and analysis protocols is one of the most pressing needs in microplastic research. Without comparable methods, it is difficult to assess the true extent of freshwater microplastic contamination globally.
Coverage of microplastic data underreporting and progress toward standardization
This study synthesizes factors contributing to microplastic data underreporting, revealing that inconsistent extraction and analysis methods across studies lead to considerable underestimation of actual microplastic concentrations in the environment.
Method for Quantifying and Characterization of Microplastics in Sand Beaches
This paper proposes a standardized method for sampling and characterizing microplastics in beach sand to improve comparability across studies. Consistent methodology is critical because current variation in field and lab techniques makes it difficult to combine or compare data from different research groups.