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Detecting microplastics in a great lakes watershed with undergraduate students
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This paper describes a course project where undergraduate students sampled and analysed microplastics from a Great Lakes watershed, finding microplastics present in both water and sediment samples. The project engaged students in authentic environmental monitoring while generating useful contamination data.
We are surrounded by plastic: plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway containers, chocolate wrappers, the list is endless.Unfortunately, many people ignore the massive waste problems associated with plastic, especially single-use plastic, and much of our plastic waste breaks down into microplastics.Now, microplastic pollutants seem to be present everywhere, even in remote areas of our planet like the Arctic and Antarctic.Knowing they pose a serious threat to many aquatic species, Dr Julie Peller, from Valparaiso University in Indiana in the US, has been assessing the levels of microplastics, in particular microfibres, in a Lake Michigan watershed and other Great Lakes ecosystems.Undergraduate research students also contribute to this project, not only to increase awareness about the importance of scientific research but also to contribute to the pool of knowledge as the magnitude of the problem grows daily.As Julie warns, "The negative effects will be exasperated if we do not address the problem."WHY IS PLASTIC SUCH A BIG ISSUE?Plastic is not biodegradable.Unfortunately, instead of being recycled, most of it ends up in a landfill or in the environment, where
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Detecting Microplastics in Soil and Sediment in an Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory Experiment That Promotes Skill Building and Encourages Environmental Awareness
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Researchers developed an undergraduate environmental chemistry laboratory experiment for detecting microplastics in soil and sediment using research-based methods, demonstrating that the exercise effectively builds analytical skills while increasing students' awareness of microplastic pollution and its environmental prevalence.
Microplastics and Plastic Waste in the Iowa Great Lakes as a Focus for Outdoor Experiential Environmental Education and Research
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Student research projects at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory documented plastic waste in the Iowa Great Lakes region, expanding microplastic research into freshwater systems that had previously received little attention. The work demonstrates that microplastic contamination is not limited to marine environments and that inland freshwater bodies serving as drinking water sources face similar pollution challenges.
A Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Microplastics in the Shorelines of Urban Lakes
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Researchers conducted a qualitative and quantitative assessment of microplastics in shoreline sediments of urban lakes, addressing a gap in research that has largely focused on the water column rather than the zone where water and land meet.
Analyzing Water Quality and Identifying Microfibers in the Lake Michigan Watershed
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This study analyzed water samples from the Lake Michigan watershed for microplastics and microfibers, finding contamination at multiple sites across the region. The results contribute to growing evidence that the Great Lakes and their tributaries are significantly affected by microplastic pollution from surrounding urban and industrial areas.
An analysis of microlitter and microplastics from Lake Superior beach sand and surface-water
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Researchers sampled beach sand and surface water in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore of Lake Superior, finding microlitter particles including microplastics even in this relatively pristine Great Lakes environment, with samples collected in May and July 2018.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.