assessing the role of forests as sinks for airborne microplastics that would otherwise continue to disperse…

assessing the role of forests as sinks for airborne microplastics that would otherwise continue to disperse in the atmosphere. akane miyazaki and her team measured concentrations of plastic particulates on leaves from kanuma oak trees in japan. the team used three separate extraction methods: an ultrapure water rinse, a rinse combined with ultrasonic waves, and an alkaline - solution treatment that removes epicuticular wax (a surface coating on most land plants to which particles can adhere). the concentrations of particulates recovered were 7.6 percent for water extraction, 38.4 percent for ultrasonic extraction, and 53.8 percent for alkaline extraction, leading the team to conclude that previous assessments have likely underestimated forest canopies capacity as sinks.\n13 which detail, if true, would most strongly support the teams conclusion?\na most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have utilized extraction methods that do not have a substantial effect on epicuticular wax.\nb most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have focused on forests with diverse tree species that exhibit varying levels of epicuticular wax.\nc most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have found particulate concentrations that greatly exceeded 53.8 percent.\nd most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have involved the application of alkaline treatments before water and ultrasonic treatments rather than after them.

assessing the role of forests as sinks for airborne microplastics that would otherwise continue to disperse in the atmosphere. akane miyazaki and her team measured concentrations of plastic particulates on leaves from kanuma oak trees in japan. the team used three separate extraction methods: an ultrapure water rinse, a rinse combined with ultrasonic waves, and an alkaline - solution treatment that removes epicuticular wax (a surface coating on most land plants to which particles can adhere). the concentrations of particulates recovered were 7.6 percent for water extraction, 38.4 percent for ultrasonic extraction, and 53.8 percent for alkaline extraction, leading the team to conclude that previous assessments have likely underestimated forest canopies capacity as sinks.\n13 which detail, if true, would most strongly support the teams conclusion?\na most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have utilized extraction methods that do not have a substantial effect on epicuticular wax.\nb most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have focused on forests with diverse tree species that exhibit varying levels of epicuticular wax.\nc most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have found particulate concentrations that greatly exceeded 53.8 percent.\nd most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have involved the application of alkaline treatments before water and ultrasonic treatments rather than after them.

Answer

Brief Explanations:

The team concluded previous assessments underestimated forest canopy's capacity as sinks because of extraction - method issues. Option A supports this by stating most studies used extraction methods that don't affect epicuticular wax, while the team's method that removed wax got higher microplastic concentrations. This implies previous methods might have missed some microplastics.

Answer:

A. Most studies of microplastic accumulation on leaves have utilized extraction methods that do not have a substantial effect on epicuticular wax.