Scientists in Australia have developed a new “gold standard” for soil analysis and microplastic extraction, aiming to safeguard agricultural soils and protect human health. The team, led by Australia’s University of New England (UNE), created a multi-criteria framework to identify the most effective method for extracting six common plastic types from different soil textures, according to a UNE statement released Wednesday.
New Framework for Microplastic Extraction
The method integrates factors such as recovery rate, spectral integrity, extraction time, cost, and environmental impact. The optimized approach uses a sequence of organic matter digestion followed by density separation, achieving a recovery rate of more than 92 percent. The process is fast, low-cost, and utilizes reagents with low environmental impact, making it accessible for widespread use, including in low-income regions.
Research Leadership
UNE PhD candidate Nivetha Sivarajah led the study, published in the June edition of the Soil Advances journal. She emphasized that the lack of standardized methods has limited understanding of the scale of microplastic pollution in soils, which are extensively contaminated by agricultural plastics, sewage sludge, and degraded waste.
“This has a significant environmental impact and can transfer through the food chain and threaten human health,” Sivarajah said. She added that once adopted, the method could better reveal the true extent of microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.
The research represents a major step forward in environmental science, providing a reliable and accessible tool for monitoring and mitigating microplastic contamination in soils globally.
