Articles | Volume 18, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-159-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-159-2021
Research article
 | 
11 Jan 2021
Research article |  | 11 Jan 2021

Particles under stress: ultrasonication causes size and recovery rate artifacts with soil-derived POM but not with microplastics

Frederick Büks, Gilles Kayser, Antonia Zieger, Friederike Lang, and Martin Kaupenjohann

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Ultrasonication/density fractionation is a common method used to extract particulate organic matter (POM) and, recently, microplastic (MP) from soil samples. In this study, ultrasonic treatment with mechanical stress increasing from 0 to 500 J  mL−1 caused comminution and a reduced recovery rate of soil-derived POMs but no such effects with MP particles. In consequence, the extraction of MP from soils is not affected by particle size and recovery rate artifacts.
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