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Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris
Published on: July 28, 2018
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Microplastic extraction from sediments established? - A critical evaluation from a trace recovery experiment with a
Maurits Halbach1, Christin Baensch1, Sonka Dirksen1
1Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, P. O. Box 2503, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany. bsb@icbm.de.
Analytical Methods : Advancing Methods and Applications
|October 28, 2021
Summary
This study evaluated microplastic extraction from sediments, finding recovery rates depend on polymer density and surface properties. Biofouling impacts extraction differently for polar versus apolar microplastics.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Microplastics contaminate environmental compartments, with sediments acting as a major sink.
- Analysis of small microplastics (150-300 μm) is crucial due to their ecotoxicological relevance.
- Existing sediment microplastic enrichment methods require evaluation for small particle recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficiency of a customized sediment separator for recovering small microplastics (150-300 μm).
- To investigate the influence of polymer density, polarity, and biofouling on microplastic extraction recovery.
- To compare findings with existing density separation techniques for microplastics.
Main Methods:
- Separation of nine common polymer types using sodium bromide solution (density 1.5 g cm⁻³).
- Analysis included pristine and incubated (biofouled) microplastic particles.
- Quantification of microplastics solely through pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- Overall mean recovery rate of 65% for microplastics.
- Higher density polymers showed significantly higher extraction efficiencies (74-97%).
- Lower density polymers exhibited reduced recovery (34-65%), suggesting polarity-driven surface interactions.
Conclusions:
- Sediment microplastic extraction efficiency is influenced by polymer density and surface polarity.
- Biofouling can enhance recovery of polar polymers but negatively affect apolar ones.
- Current separation methods may need re-evaluation for accurate recovery of low-concentration, small microplastics from sediments.
