A simple overflow density separation method that recovers >95% of dense microplastics from sediment

Density separation can isolate microplastics from environmental samples containing sediment. Typically, a solution added to sediment causes microplastics with lower densities to float. The solution of choice can influence the recovery of different particles since denser solutions can separate a grea...

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Veröffentlicht in:MethodsX Jg. 12; S. 102638
Hauptverfasser: Crutchett, Thomas W., Bornt, Katrina R.
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2024
Elsevier
Schlagworte:
Environmental contamination
Environmental Science
filtration
Microplastic extraction
microplastics
Plastic pollution
poly(vinyl chloride)
polyamides
polyethylene terephthalates
Protocol validation
rubber
sediments
Zinc chloride
Microplastic extraction
Overflow density separation method
Environmental contamination
Zinc chloride
Protocol validation
Plastic pollution
ISSN:2215-0161, 2215-0161
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Zusammenfassung:Density separation can isolate microplastics from environmental samples containing sediment. Typically, a solution added to sediment causes microplastics with lower densities to float. The solution of choice can influence the recovery of different particles since denser solutions can separate a greater range of microplastics. The equipment and procedural complexity further influence density separation protocols and microplastic recoveries. Zinc chloride (ZnCl2) is frequently used to isolate high-density polymers from environmental samples yet is rarely validated with simple, well-described protocols. A simple overflow method using ZnCl2 to isolate microplastics from sediment samples is described following a 3-step process: (1. Separation) ZnCl2 (1.7 g cm−3) solution is added to a sediment sample, agitated then settled; (2. Overflows) buoyant particles at the surface of the solution are overflowed twice; (3. Filtration) the overflowed solution is filtered. In a validation experiment with polyamide, rubber, polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate/polyester, the mean recovery using this overflow method was 96 % ± 0.6 (standard error). This overflow density separation method proposes an accessible and reliable protocol to extract medium and high-density microplastics.•Microplastic separation with concentrated ZnCl2 solution•Simple overflow of buoyant particles•Reliable extraction of microplastics [Display omitted]
Bibliographie:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:2215-0161
2215-0161
DOI:10.1016/j.mex.2024.102638