ReviewNature protocols2026
Preparing and characterizing environmentally aged microplastics.
Review in Nature protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
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0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are persistent and widely distributed pollutants that have become an emerging environmental problem. When present in the environment, they are increasingly being incorporated into the carbon cycle and thus participate in the Earth's biochemical cycle alongside other pollutants. However, upon entering the environment (as primary or secondary MPs), various environmental factors collectively influence the physical and chemical characteristics of MPs, leading to changes in surface morphology, particle size and microstructure. These alterations can change their physical behavior and the effect that they have on living organisms. The aging processes of MPs are complex and influenced by multiple factors relating to both the size and composition of the MPs themselves and the environmental conditions. We developed a protocol for studying MP aging across different environmental settings (soil, water, air and organisms) over timescales from several weeks to months, applicable to common types of MPs. This protocol integrates modular aging experiments with an array of analytical techniques (for example, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) to characterize MP aging according to micromorphology, chemical characteristics, dissolution characteristics and mass fraction. We have established a quantitative method for evaluating MP aging along with graded property assessment criteria for measuring the degree of aging-the composite aging index (CAI). This protocol takes approximately 4 days to 6 months, depending on the specific environmental aging conditions selected, the sample matrix and the suite of analytical techniques used. By implementing this protocol, we can gain mechanistic insights into MP aging processes, ultimately contributing to sustainable plastics development through strategic design that guides their fate and behavior.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.