Extraction, Identification, and Quantification Methods of Microplastics in Soil

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

2 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

10.22034/sps.2026.70508.1027

Abstract

Background and Objectives
Plastics are indispensable to today’s society due to their extensive use in various aspects of daily life. However, improper disposal methods have turned plastic pollution into a significant environmental issue. As the abundance of microplastics (MPs) continues to increase in the environment, their presence in agricultural soils has attracted growing attention. MPs can alter soil physical and chemical properties and be taken up by plants and soil organisms, leading to both physical and chemical damage. When their concentrations in soil exceeds a certain threshold, significant ecological harm may occur. Therefore, reliable extraction and identification of MPs in soil are essential for assessing pollution levels. However, because soils contain numerous particles similar in size and density to MPs, distinguishing them is more challenging than in aquatic systems. Currently, no standardized method exists for quantifying MPs in soil. Although various extraction and identification techniques have been proposed, they differ considerably in sampling, purification, digestion, and analytical approaches.
 
Review methodology
ResearchGate, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect.com were used as sources to gather information for this study. These database sites were preferred because these sites are the most complete and contain the most prominent and important research publications. The major search term was "Extraction and identification methods of microplastics". In this strategy, 45 articles published between 2009 and 2025 were chosen. Furthermore, the relevant studies cited in the above publications were examined.          
Results & Conclusion
Extraction, identification, and quantification of microplastics (MPs) from soil samples are reviewed in this work. MPs identification and quantification require accurate digestion of soil organic matter. Density separation methods are more efficient with high-density solutions, especially for small-sized MPs. Since soil types and polymers differ, digestion methods and density solutions need to be carefully selected. Regarding reagents, the most commonly used for removal of organic matter is H2O2 at 30% due to its effectiveness and low impact on polymers. However, in samples with high organic content, it is often combined with Fenton’s reagent or enzymatic digestion. For low-density plastics, NaCl is the most frequently used because of its low cost and low toxicity. ZnCl2 is preferred for recovering high-density polymers, as it can be reused multiple times without losing efficiency, despite its higher cost. In terms of identification and quantification, both Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and stereomicroscopy appear to be widely used. However, the current measurement units of particle count, or particle count per unit soil mass are not adequate to determine MPs concentrations for risk assessments. Mass-based quantification should therefore be developed to further assess MPs occurrence, calculate removal efficiency, and estimate MPs movement in the matrix. Even though previous studies cannot be compared and analyzed in a straightforward manner, it is evident that a recovery rate test should be included in the validation process. In addition, digestion methods should also be tested to assess whether microplastics are altered or degraded. Integrated extraction and quantification methods may permit the development of standard soil MPs assessment protocols. We believe that the following aspects need further investigation: 1- At present, the extraction and identification methods of MPs in soil do not accurately extract and identify MPs, and the content and type of MPs in soil are unknown. Therefore, future research should strengthen the extraction and identification of MPs in soils and plants to understand whether NPs can enter the human food chain through soil. 2-The transport mechanism of MPs in soil is not clear and may be affected by water transport, tillage methods, plant root growth, and other factors. It is important to understand the transport mechanism of MPs in different soil textures to know how deep MPs can be transported and whether it will affect groundwater. 3-There are few studies on the source and fate of MPs in soil. Understanding the source of MPs in soil can be controlled from the source. Microorganisms can degrade MPs in soil, which is significant for microorganism's proliferation that can degrade MPs without adversely affecting the agricultural environment. 4- Designing a standard procedure that is fast, convenient, and practical for MPs extraction and identification that can be used to analyze the source of MPs in agricultural soil and the degree of soil pollution, thus improving the soil environment and food security.
 
Author Contributions

Sefidgar Shakolaie wrote the first manuscript. A. Taheri Shahrestani provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analysis and manuscript.

 
Data Availability Statement
No data was used for the research described in the article.
 
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and constructive suggestions, which greatly contributed to improving the quality of this manuscript. The authors also wish to express their gratitude to the editor for their guidance and support throughout the review process.
 
Ethical considerations
The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misconduct.
 
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Journal of Soil and Plant Science
Volume 35, Issue 4
December 2025
Pages 41-75

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