Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A new analytical approach for monitoring microplastics in marine sediments

Researchers developed a new analytical approach for monitoring microplastics specifically in marine sediments, improving extraction and identification steps to enable more reliable and standardized environmental monitoring of seafloor contamination.

2013 Environmental Pollution 1349 citations
Article Tier 2

Proposal for an initial screening method for identifying microplastics in marine sediments

Researchers developed a simplified screening protocol to identify microplastics in marine sediment samples, intended as a rapid initial method before more detailed analysis. Standardized screening protocols that are accessible to more laboratories are needed to expand global monitoring of microplastic sediment contamination.

2021 Scientific Reports 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in sediments: A review of techniques, occurrence and effects

This review examined techniques, occurrence data, and ecological effects of microplastics in sediments, synthesizing evidence that sediments act as a major long-term repository for microplastic contamination in both freshwater and marine systems.

2015 Marine Environmental Research 1190 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of microplastics detection methods applied to marine sediments: A case study in the Bay of Marseille

This study compared multiple analytical methods for detecting and quantifying microplastics in marine sediment samples, evaluating extraction efficiency, polymer identification accuracy, and practical considerations for routine environmental monitoring.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Detection and Analysis from Water and Sediment: A Review

This review summarized current methods for detecting and analyzing microplastics in water and sediment samples, covering sampling techniques, extraction procedures, identification technologies, and quality control measures needed for reliable microplastic quantification.

2023 Macromolecular Symposia 11 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

Microplastic abundance and characteristics in French Atlantic coastal sediments using a new extraction method

Researchers developed a new extraction method for microplastics from coastal Atlantic sediments in France and applied it to characterize microplastic abundance and composition, finding widespread contamination and demonstrating the method's improved efficiency for recovering particles from sediment matrices.

2018 Environmental Pollution 127 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic identification and quantification from organic rich sediments: A validated laboratory protocol

Researchers developed and validated a laboratory protocol for extracting, quantifying, and identifying microplastics from organic-rich sediments with fine grain sizes. The study addressed the challenge of analyzing microplastics in contamination hotspots like harbors and estuaries, where high organic content makes extraction difficult, and provided a cost-effective integrated method for more reliable environmental monitoring.

2020 Environmental Pollution 136 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in marine environment: reworking and optimisation of two analytical protocols for the extraction of microplastics from sediments and oysters

Researchers improved existing protocols for extracting microplastics from both marine sediments and oysters, making the NOAA protocol more versatile and extending it to PET extraction. Validated extraction methods are essential for producing consistent, comparable data on microplastic contamination in seafood.

2020 MethodsX 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic extraction from sediments established? – A critical evaluation from a trace recovery experiment with a custom-made density separator

Scientists evaluated the accuracy of a custom density separator for extracting small microplastic particles from sediment, finding variable recovery rates across different polymer types. Standardized and validated extraction methods are essential for accurate measurements of microplastic contamination in sediment environments.

2021 Analytical Methods 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Screening for microplastics in sediment, water, marine invertebrates and fish: Method development and microplastic accumulation

Researchers developed improved methods for extracting microplastics from biological samples and sediments, using enzymatic digestion that achieved 97% particle recovery without damaging the plastics. When applied to field samples from the North Sea and Swedish coast, they found microplastics in 8 of 9 invertebrate species tested and in 68% of brown trout. Mussel tissue contained roughly a thousand times more microplastic particles per kilogram than surrounding sediment or water.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 539 citations
Article Tier 2

Methodological approaches to the monitoring of microplastics in France

Researchers reviewed the methods used to monitor microplastics in France, highlighting the different approaches adopted across water, sediment, and biological samples and the need for standardized protocols to improve comparability of results across studies.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

A new analytical technique for the extraction and quantification of microplastics in marine sediments focused on easy implementation and repeatability

This paper describes a new analytical method for extracting and quantifying microplastics from sediment using common laboratory equipment and salt solutions, making microplastic analysis more accessible to laboratories without specialized instruments. Standardized, low-cost methods are essential for expanding the geographic and temporal coverage of microplastic monitoring.

2017 Analytical Methods 39 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

A critical review of the novel analytical methods for the determination of microplastics in sand and sediment samples

This review critically assessed novel analytical methods for detecting microplastics in sand and sediment samples, comparing extraction procedures and identification techniques while highlighting the need for standardized protocols across laboratories.

2023 TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of microplastic isolation and extraction procedures from marine sediments

Researchers compared five methods for extracting microplastics (40-710 μm) from marine sediments by spiking known MP quantities into sediment matrices and measuring percent recovery across extraction approaches. Results showed that sediment matrix composition, MP properties including size and polymer type, and extraction method all significantly influenced recovery efficiency, underscoring the need for standardized extraction protocols to enable cross-study comparisons.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Sampling, Isolating and Identifying Microplastics Ingested by Fish and Invertebrates *

This methodological review critically evaluated sampling, isolation, and identification techniques for microplastics ingested by fish and invertebrates, identifying common sources of error including contamination during processing, particle loss, and misidentification — and recommending standardized protocols.

2020 85 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification

This review covered the methods used to identify and characterize microplastics in marine environmental samples, evaluating the strengths and limitations of visual, spectroscopic, and chemical approaches for field and laboratory analysis.

2012 Environmental Science & Technology 5047 citations
Article Tier 2

Improved separation and quantification method for microplastic analysis in sediment: A fine-grained matrix from Arctic Greenland

Researchers developed an improved method for extracting microplastics from fine-grained Arctic sediments that reduces particle loss by cutting out intermediate processing steps, achieving over 90% recovery for particles larger than 100 micrometers. This is important because smaller microplastic particles are particularly easy to lose during analysis, and better methods mean we get more accurate data on how much plastic pollution is actually present in remote environments like Greenland.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

A straightforward protocol for extracting microplastics from freshwater sediment with high organic content

Researchers developed a simplified protocol for extracting microplastics from organic-rich clayey freshwater sediments. The method achieved recovery rates exceeding 83% for five common plastic types and minimized particle loss by reducing container transfers, offering a practical and effective approach for environmental monitoring.

2025 Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Non-destructive microplastic isolation from water and sediment samples v1

This protocol describes a non-destructive method for isolating microplastics from water and sediment samples that preserves the associated microbial biofilm, enabling both culture-based and sequencing-based analysis of plastisphere communities.

2024 4 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

Towards a Consensus Method for the Isolation of Microplastics from Freshwater Sediments

This paper works toward a consensus method for isolating microplastics from complex environmental matrices, comparing existing protocols and identifying sources of variability in recovery and detection. Standardization is identified as critical for making results comparable across studies.

2024 Environments 6 citations
Article Tier 2

A simple method for the extraction and identification of light density microplastics from soil

This study developed and validated a simple method for extracting and identifying low-density microplastics from sediment samples, offering a practical and cost-effective approach for environmental monitoring.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 525 citations