Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Electrostatic Separation of Microplastics From Mineral-Rich Environmental Samples

This study evaluated electrostatic separation as a technique for extracting microplastics from mineral-rich environmental samples like soil and sediment, finding that recovery rates varied significantly by polymer type. Electrostatic separation shows promise for processing large sample volumes but requires further optimization before it can be reliably used for routine microplastic monitoring.

2020 Frontiers in Environmental Science 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of Micro-Plastics Separation From Sea Water With Electro-Magnetic Force

Researchers developed a method to remove microplastics from seawater using electromagnetic force, exploiting differences in electrical properties between plastics and water. The technique shows potential as a physical removal approach that avoids adding chemical agents to the marine environment.

2022 IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances on Density Separation Techniques for Microplastic Recovery from Sediments

This review summarises recent advances in density separation techniques for extracting microplastics from sediments, evaluating the effectiveness of different salt solutions and comparing novel approaches such as electrostatic separation and pressurised fluid extraction against conventional methods.

2022 Sinaya A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Not all microplastics are created equal. Quantifying efficacy bias and validation of density separation methods

Researchers evaluated and validated density separation methods for extracting microplastics from environmental matrices, quantifying efficacy bias across different polymer types with varying densities. They found that recovery rates differ substantially depending on polymer density relative to the separation solution, introducing systematic bias in microplastic concentration estimates across studies.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Methods for separating microplastics from complex solid matrices: Comparative analysis

Separation methods for extracting microplastics from complex solid matrices including soil, sediment, and sludge were systematically compared, evaluating density separation, oil extraction, electrostatic separation, and other approaches. The review provides guidance for choosing appropriate separation methods depending on matrix composition and target microplastic characteristics.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 134 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics everywhere: A review on existing methods of extraction

This review compiled and evaluated existing methods for extracting microplastics from environmental samples, including density separation, oil extraction, and other techniques, assessing their advantages and limitations across different environmental matrices.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrophobicity–water/air–based enrichment cell for microplastics analysis within environmental samples: A proof of concept

Researchers developed a new microplastic separation device that uses the hydrophobic properties of plastic particles combined with fine air bubbles to quickly and effectively extract microplastics from sediment and soil samples. The new method avoids harsh solvents that can degrade microplastic particles and offers a faster alternative to existing separation techniques.

2019 MethodsX 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Tribo-Electrostatic Separation Analysis of a Beneficial Solution in the Recycling of Mixed Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) and High-Density Polyethylene

Researchers optimized an electrostatic separation process for sorting PET and HDPE plastic particles, testing how different parameters affect separation efficiency for recycling. Improving plastic sorting technology is key to increasing recycling rates and reducing the amount of plastic waste that ultimately degrades into environmental microplastics.

2021 Energies 13 citations
Article Tier 2

An optimized density-based approach for extracting microplastics from soil and sediment samples

Researchers optimized a density-based extraction method for isolating microplastics from soil and sediment samples, testing different density solutions and separation steps to maximize recovery efficiency. The improved protocol reduces contamination risks and particle loss, enabling more accurate quantification of microplastics in terrestrial and freshwater sediment matrices.

2019 Environmental Pollution 215 citations
Article Tier 2

Filtering and continuously separating microplastics from water using electric field gradients formed electrochemically in the absence of buffer

Scientists developed a microfluidic system that uses electric fields to continuously separate particles — including microplastics — from water flow without chemical additives. Electric field-based separation could offer a low-energy, chemical-free approach to removing microplastics from water streams.

2021 Chemical Science 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Non-Destructive Extraction and Separation of Nano- and Microplastics from Environmental Samples by Density Gradient Ultracentrifugation

Researchers developed a non-destructive method using density gradient ultracentrifugation to extract and separate different types of nano- and microplastics from environmental samples. The study demonstrates that this approach can effectively separate various plastic polymer types from complex environmental matrices based on their density differences, offering a promising new tool for microplastic analysis.

2022 Analytical Chemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel, highly efficient method for the separation and quantification of plastic particles in sediments of aquatic environments

Researchers improved a density separation method for isolating microplastics from aquatic sediments, achieving higher recovery rates and reducing processing time compared to earlier approaches. The validated method was designed to be reproducible and cost-effective, addressing the need for reliable standardized protocols in microplastic monitoring.

2012 Limnology and Oceanography Methods 654 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the Electrostatic Separation Effectiveness of Plastic Waste Using a Vision System

Researchers developed an electrostatic separation method for sorting mixed plastic waste by polymer type, providing a faster way to assess the quality of plastic separation in recycling processes. Improved plastic sorting and recycling efficiency is key to reducing the amount of mixed plastic waste that eventually breaks down into microplastics.

2020 Sensors 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Validation of density separation for the rapid recovery of microplastics from sediment

Researchers validated a density separation method for rapidly recovering microplastics from sediment samples, confirming it as a reliable and efficient approach for routine environmental monitoring.

2016 Analytical Methods 505 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmentally safe and cost-effective microplastic isolation using a salt–sugar flotation approach

Researchers developed an environmentally safe and cost-effective microplastic isolation method using a salt-sugar flotation approach as an alternative to conventional expensive salt-based density separation. The technique effectively separates microplastics from environmental matrices while minimizing the chemical burden of the remediation process itself.

2025 Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies
Article Tier 2

Utilizing Electrosorptionfor Efficient Removal ofPolyethylene Microplastics from Water: Critical Factors and MechanisticInsights

An electrosorption method was developed to remove polyethylene microplastics from wastewater, demonstrating improved removal efficiency compared to conventional treatment, especially for smaller particles that typically escape standard wastewater treatment plants.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Separation of microplastics from mass-limited samples by an effective adsorption technique

Researchers compared adsorption-based separation techniques for extracting microplastics from mass-limited environmental samples, evaluating efficacy and potential degradative effects on polymer integrity. The optimized method improved recovery rates and comparability of results across different sample matrices.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater by Methods of Electrocoagulation and Adsorption

This review examines electrocoagulation and adsorption methods for removing microplastics from wastewater, comparing them against conventional physical, chemical, and biological approaches in terms of removal efficiency, cost, and practical scalability.

2025 Journal of Water Chemistry and Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Focusing, sorting, and separating microplastics by serial faradaic ion concentration polarization

Researchers demonstrated a microfluidic technique that uses electric fields to continuously separate two types of microplastic particles in flowing water. This lab-on-chip approach could be developed into tools for monitoring or removing specific microplastic types from water treatment systems.

2020 Chemical Science 54 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A modified methodology for extraction and quantification of microplastics in soil

Researchers developed and validated an improved methodology for extracting and quantifying microplastics from soil samples using optimized density separation with different salt solutions. The method achieved high recovery rates for various polymer types and particle sizes while minimizing organic matter interference. The study provides a standardized and reproducible analytical approach that could help address inconsistencies in how microplastics are measured across different soil studies.

2024 NanoImpact 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Bidimensional Dynamic Magnetic Levitation: Sequential Separation of Microplastics by Density and Size

Researchers developed a two-dimensional dynamic magnetic levitation technique that simultaneously separates microplastics by both material density and particle size in a single step. The 2D-MagLev method addresses a key gap in microplastic sample preparation by resolving mixtures of plastics that differ in both polymer type and particle dimensions.

2024 Analytical Chemistry 9 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel approach to extract, purify, and fractionate microplastics from environmental matrices by isopycnic ultracentrifugation

Researchers developed a novel isopycnic ultracentrifugation method for simultaneously extracting and fractionating microplastics from complex environmental matrices such as soil, demonstrating that diffusion-based density gradients enable separation of mixed polymer types according to their specific buoyant densities, overcoming limitations of conventional saturated salt density extraction.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction of microplastics from sediment matrices: Experimental comparative analysis

Extraction efficiencies of four methods for separating microplastics from sediment matrices were experimentally compared using spiked samples, finding that density separation with saturated NaCl was adequate for most polymer types but underperformed for high-density polymers, and that no single method achieved complete recovery across all particle sizes and shapes.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 68 citations