Intercomparison study on commonly used methods to determine microplastics in wastewater and sludge samples.

ABSTRACT: The harmonized procedures in terms of the sampling, sample treatment and identification of microplastics in different environmental samples are missing, which poses challenges to researchers to compare the results or to adopt 'the most effective' monitoring approach. Furthermore, in the related literature, the used procedures are rarely tested with spiked microplastics to predetermine their recovery rates. Without this knowledge, results should only be discussed as rough estimations of the real environmental concentrations of microplastics. In this study, six different methods previously used in microplastic studies of different media were tested with municipal wastewater and digested sludge samples, spiked with seven different types of plastic particles and fibres. Recovery rates, time co

SUBMITTER: Lares M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6476832 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature