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Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous and evasive in nature. They can be found in complex agricultural matrices like soil and compost. In the literature, extracting MPs from soil is more prevalent; nonetheless, the same instruments in extraction in soil samples can also be used to assess MPs in compost despite the high levels of organic material. MPs in agricultural environments have recently become a focus of research due to their status as emerging pollutants. However, the lack of standardized instruments and techniques for analysis is a major challenge in assessing MPs. Despite this limitation, this review article identified and suggested some important factors to consider when selecting suitable methods or instruments for MP analysis. This article also categorized instrumental analysis in MP studies as destructive and non-destructive and highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of methods and instruments such as visual inspection, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy (RS), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). These highlights will provide researchers with a useful guide to help them choose the most appropriate method and instrumentation technique for their MP analytical research. Additionally, the article discusses the combination of two or more of these analytical instruments to improve efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém (ca. 1858–1994) was among the first to produce white earthenware in Portugal, becoming one of the country's leading ceramic manufacturers during the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Research on white earthenware has accompanied the growing interest in post-industrial archaeology but is still poorly explored compared to more ancient ceramic productions. This study focused on the ceramic body, glazes, and colourants of tableware produced by Fábrica de Loiça de Sacavém during the first 50 years of its activity (1859–1910). A multi-analytical approach was selected to investigate the chemical and mineralogical composition of the ceramic body, glaze, and pigments using optical microscopy, variable-pressure scanning electron microscope energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (VP-SEM-EDS), μ-Raman spectroscopy, μ-X-ray Diffraction (μ-XRD), and reflectance spectroscopy (hyperspectral image analysis). The studied tableware was produced with a Ca-poor siliceous–aluminous white earthenware ceramic body covered with transparent alkali lead or lead borosilicate glaze, and most colourants were complex Cr-based pigments. These results are in agreement with the little documental evidence from this period found in the manufacturer's archives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the displacement of coal gangue filling material in road construction and microstructural behavior of treated coal gangue by considering the environmental factors of aqueous solutions with different acidity. The displacement analysis of the coal gangue embankment model has been done by means of the finite element method PLAXIS. Furthermore, using the scanning electron microscope, the energy dispersive system, and the Raman spectrometer to analyze the microscopic mechanism in the view of microstructure, elements, the integrity of carbon structure and the stability of chemical bonds of coal gangue. The results show that the larger displacement of the treated coal gangue subgrade is within 4.0 m below the top of the subgrade, and the maximum displacement value is about 7 mm, which is less than the displacement of untreated coal gangue sample. While the treated A-CG and T-CG grain size, surface area and internal friction angle increase, the unstable carbon structure is destroyed, so its shear strength, compression performance, and consolidation effect are improved. S-CG particles are coated with Na-Si-Al gel, which enhances the density, viscosity and shear strength, thus ensuring the stability of the coal gangue subgrade. The treated coal gangue subgrade slope foot displacement, boundary shear stress and safety factor are all meet the specification requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]