Poor extraction efficiencies of polystyrene nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 11; p. e0208009
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhan, Taylor, Stephen E., Sharma, Prabhakar, Flury, Markus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 29.11.2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Beads; Biology and Life Sciences; Biosolids; Ecosystems; Engineering and Technology; Environmental Pollution; Environmental Restoration and Remediation - methods; Extraction (Chemistry); Flotation; Gravimetry; Hydrogen Peroxide; Laboratories; Methods; Microplastics; Microspheres; Mineral particles; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - adverse effects; Organic matter; Oxidation; Oxidation-reduction reactions; Physical Sciences; Plastic pollution; Plastics; Plastics - isolation & purification; Polystyrene; Polystyrene resins; Polystyrenes - isolation & purification; Properties; Research and Analysis Methods; Sediments; Sediments (Geology); Sewage sludge; Soil - chemistry; Soil organic matter; Soil Pollutants - isolation & purification; Soil sciences; Soil water; Soils; Spectrometry; Spectroscopy; Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Zinc chloride; United States > US; China

Extraction and quantification of nano- and microplastics from sediments and soils is challenging. Although no standard method has been established so far, flotation is commonly used to separate plastic from mineral material. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of flotation for the...