Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

Siyang Ren; Martine Graf; Kai Wang; Jinrui Zhang; Hanyue Zhang; Xiuting Liu; Jingjing Li; Tong Zhu; Kaige Ren; Yingming Sun; Ruimin Qi; Benjamin I. Collins; Li Xu; Xiaoxu Jiang; Jixiao Cui; Fan Ding; Changrong Yan; Xuejun Liu; Davey L. Jones; David R. Chadwick

doi:10.3791/67064

JoVE Journal
Environment
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JoVE Journal Environment

Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils

农田土壤中常规微塑料的分离和鉴定

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14:10 min

March 21, 2025

DOI: 10.3791/67064-v

Siyang Ren^1,2, Martine Graf², Kai Wang¹, Jinrui Zhang^1,3, Hanyue Zhang⁴, Xiuting Liu^1,5, Jingjing Li¹, Tong Zhu¹, Kaige Ren¹, Yingming Sun⁶, Ruimin Qi⁷, Benjamin I. Collins², Li Xu⁸, Xiaoxu Jiang⁹, Jixiao Cui⁵, Fan Ding⁶, Changrong Yan^5,10, Xuejun Liu^1,3, Davey L. Jones², David R. Chadwick²

¹State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of Ministry of Education, National Observation and Research Station of Agriculture Green Development (Quzhou, Hebei),China Agricultural University, ²School of Environmental & Natural Sciences,Bangor University, ³College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation,China Agricultural University, ⁴Soil Physics and Land Management Group,Wageningen University & Research, ⁵Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, ⁶College of Land and Environment,Shenyang Agricultural University, ⁷School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology, ⁸Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology,Beijing Academy of Agriculture & Forestry Sciences, ⁹China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, ¹⁰Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

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Overview

This article presents a method for extracting microplastics from soil and identifying their polymer types. The protocol is optimized for execution, applicability, and cost-effectiveness, providing a scientific foundation for standardizing analytical methods in soil microplastic identification.

Key Study Components

Area of Science

Environmental Science
Soil Analysis
Microplastic Research

Background

Microplastics are pervasive pollutants in various ecosystems.
Identifying microplastics in soil is crucial for understanding their environmental impact.
Current methods lack standardization and can be costly.
This study aims to address these gaps with a refined protocol.

Purpose of Study

To develop a cost-effective method for microplastic extraction from soil.
To standardize the analytical process for identifying polymer types.
To enhance the applicability of microplastic research in environmental studies.

Methods Used

Soil sampling and preparation using a five-point sampling method.
Density flotation to separate microplastics from soil.
Impurity digestion to remove organic matter.
Coloration and vacuum filtration for further analysis.

Main Results

Successful extraction of microplastics from soil samples.
Identification of various polymer types present in the samples.
Demonstration of the method's cost-effectiveness and efficiency.
Potential for standardization in future microplastic research.

Conclusions

The developed method provides a reliable approach for microplastic analysis in soils.
Standardization of this method could enhance research comparability.
Further studies are needed to validate the method across different soil types.