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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Optimization and application of pretreatment method of microplastics detection in municipal solid waste landfills
Saqi Zheng1, Baiyu Zhou1, Nanfei Guo2
1State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (Chengdu University of Technology), Chengdu 610059, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil & Water Pollution (Chengdu University of Technology), Chengdu 610059, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China.
Abstract:
The landfill is one of the most important sources of microplastics (MPs). The pretreatment method is a precondition of microplastics study for the presence of complex substances in landfills. Therefore, it is essential to examine the impact of different pretreatment methods on the microplastics detection. A literature review and a comparison experiment on digestion solutions were performed to establish a comprehensive identification method for MPs in landfills. When exposed to of 30 % H2O2, minimal mass reduction of PE, PP and PET were 4.00 %, 3.00 % and 3.00 % respectively, and the least surface damage was observed in MPs, while exhibiting the most optimal peak value for infrared spectral characteristics. It is demonstrated that the effect of 30 % H2O2 dissolution was superior compared to 10 % KOH and 65 % HNO3. The method was subsequently utilized to investigate the distribution of MPs in a landfill. The dominant MPs were polyethylene (PE, 18.56-23.91 %), polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 8.80-18.66 %), polystyrene (PS, 10.31-18.09 %), and polypropylene (PP, 11.60-14.91 %). The comprehensive identification method of "NaCl density separation + 30 % H2O2 digestion + NaI density separation + sampling microscope + Mirco-FTIR" is suitable for the detection of MPs in landfills.
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