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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Review of plastic footprint methodologies: laying the foundation for the development of a standardised plastic footprint measurement tool
ClearThe marine plastic footprint
This report presents a methodology for calculating a 'marine plastic footprint' for industries and countries, estimating the proportion of plastic waste likely to leak into the ocean based on production, use, and regional waste management infrastructure, and mapping high-risk leakage points in supply chains.
A review of microplastics measuring methods in water and wastewater bodies
This review covers the wide variety of methods used to measure microplastics in water and wastewater, comparing their advantages and limitations. The authors note that lack of standardized methods makes it difficult to compare results across studies and call for international consensus on measurement protocols.
Plastic pollution: Where are we regarding research and risk assessment in support of management and regulation?
This review assessed the current state of microplastic research and risk assessment, concluding that more exposure-response studies using standardized methods and material-specific metrics are needed to support effective management and regulation of plastic pollution.
Toward harmonised monitoring of plastic pollution: description of a systematic review to evaluate and apply reproducible methods
Scientists reviewed 60 years of research and found that studies measuring plastic pollution in our environment use wildly different methods, making it impossible to compare results or understand the true scope of the problem. This lack of consistency means we can't properly track whether plastic pollution (including tiny particles that can enter our food and water) is getting better or worse over time. The researchers are calling for standardized methods so we can better monitor plastic pollution and protect human health.
Indicators for plastic pollution
This paper analyzes what indicators should be used to measure plastic pollution as part of negotiations for an international plastics treaty. Reliable, standardized metrics for plastic and microplastic pollution are essential for setting targets and evaluating progress under any global agreement.
A Review of Analytical Methods Used in Microplastics Quantification
This review evaluates the various analytical methods used to detect and quantify microplastics in the environment, highlighting inconsistencies in sampling and analysis across studies. Standardizing methods is a critical priority for the field, as inconsistent approaches make it difficult to compare results and track pollution trends over time.
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.
Finding the Balance between Research and Monitoring: When Are Methods Good Enough to Understand Plastic Pollution?
This paper discusses the gap between the need for plastic pollution monitoring and the ongoing development of research methods, arguing that standardized but imperfect methods should be adopted now to enable consistent data collection across programs. The authors propose a framework for deciding when research methods are sufficiently mature to support meaningful environmental monitoring.
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.
An Assessment of Mass Balance Accounting Methods for Polymers workshop report
Researchers convened a workshop to assess mass balance accounting methods for polymers, evaluating approaches for tracking recycled content through complex plastic supply chains to support circular economy goals.
A City-Wide Emissions Inventory of Plastic Pollution
This study developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions at the city scale, analogous to greenhouse gas emission inventories, and applied it to calculate a baseline plastic emissions inventory for a city. The approach provides a quantitative tool for tracking plastic pollution reduction progress aligned with international plastics treaty goals.
Monitor circulaire plastics. Methodologie en nulmeting
Researchers developed a methodology and baseline measurement for a circular plastics monitor in the Netherlands, establishing quantitative indicators to track progress toward a circular plastic value chain and enabling repeat measurements over time.
Guidelines for Harmonizing Ocean Surface Microplastic Monitoring Methods. Version 1.1.
This report provides guidelines for harmonizing ocean surface microplastic monitoring methods to allow better comparison of results across different studies. Without standardized approaches, the diversity of sampling and measurement techniques makes it nearly impossible to track global microplastic trends reliably.
A Methodology to Characterize Riverine Macroplastic Emission Into the Ocean
This paper presents a standardized methodology for measuring and characterizing macroplastic emissions from rivers into the ocean, addressing a major data gap in global plastic budget estimates. Consistent measurement frameworks are essential for understanding how much plastic enters the ocean from land-based sources via rivers.
Evaluation of riverine macro- and mesoplastic monitoring approaches.
This review evaluated and compared existing monitoring approaches for riverine macro- and mesoplastics, identifying key methodological inconsistencies that limit cross-study comparisons and calling for standardization to improve understanding of plastic transport and accumulation in freshwater river systems.
Harmonisation and development of plastic statistics in the Nordics
Researchers identified 37 key plastic-related data points and evaluated their availability and comparability across Nordic countries, finding that plastic statistics remain fragmented and difficult to compare, and assessed the costs and benefits of improving data collection and harmonisation to support effective plastic pollution policy.
Methodology to address potential impacts of plastic emissions in life cycle assessment
Researchers proposed a new method for including the environmental impact of plastic emissions in life cycle assessments, which currently tend to make plastic products appear less harmful than alternatives. The approach introduces characterization factors based on how long different plastics persist in the environment. The study suggests that accounting for plastic pollution in these assessments could significantly change how the environmental footprint of plastic products is evaluated.
Quantifying micro- and nanoplastics
This work addresses methodological approaches for quantifying micro- and nanoplastics in environmental samples, examining analytical techniques, sampling strategies, and measurement challenges. The publication is part of the international research literature on standardizing plastic particle detection and quantification methods.
Improving monitoring, analysis and reporting to assess plastic pollution: a matter of comparability
This review examines two decades of microplastic monitoring in aquatic systems, identifying persistent challenges in harmonizing methodologies for sampling, analysis, and reporting that hinder data comparison, and proposing improvements to create comparable datasets for assessing plastic pollution from river basins to the ocean.
Sampling and Sample Preparation Techniques for Micro- and Nanoplastics
Scientists don't have a standard way to find and measure tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in our environment, making it hard to compare research results. This review paper examines different methods researchers use to detect these plastic particles in air, water, soil, food, and living things. Having better, consistent testing methods is important because microplastics are found throughout our environment and food chain, but we can't properly track their health effects without reliable measurement techniques.
Comparison of different methods for MP detection: What can we learn from them, and why asking the right question before measurements matters?
This comparative study evaluated several different analytical methods for detecting and measuring microplastics, finding that the choice of method significantly affects results. The authors emphasize that choosing the right method depends on the specific research question, and that standardization is essential for comparing data across studies.
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.
A comprehensive toolkit for micro- to nanoplastic analysis
This review presents a unified analytical toolkit integrating mass-based, particle-based, and morphology-based approaches to enable reliable detection, quantification, and standardization of micro- and nanoplastics across diverse environmental matrices. The framework is intended to improve comparability across studies and support robust monitoring of plastic pollution.
Microplastic in Soil: a Review of Detection Methods
This review examines published approaches for detecting and identifying microplastics in soil environments, synthesizing sampling, extraction, and characterization methods to address the lack of standardization that hinders cross-study comparisons. Researchers found that unifying detection methods is essential for developing a common understanding of microplastic prevalence and impact in terrestrial ecosystems.