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Papers
8 resultsShowing papers from Vancouver Island University
ClearMicroplastic Ingestion by Wild and Cultured Manila Clams (Venerupis philippinarum) from Baynes Sound, British Columbia
Researchers documented microplastic quantities in wild and cultured Manila clams from Baynes Sound, British Columbia. The study found that both farmed and wild clams contained microplastics, raising concerns about the transfer of these contaminants through the food web to higher trophic levels, including humans who consume shellfish.
Characterizing photochemical ageing processes of microplastic materials using multivariate analysis of infrared spectra
Researchers tracked how four common plastic types weather under UV light and sunlight over six months, using infrared spectroscopy and multivariate analysis to characterize surface chemistry changes. They found that polypropylene weathered fastest, while all plastics showed photooxidation at different rates depending on light source. The study proposes a multivariate spectral approach as a more broadly applicable method than the traditional carbonyl index for assessing microplastic aging.
The future of sub-Saharan Africa’s biodiversity in the face of climate and societal change
This review assesses the conservation threats facing sub-Saharan Africa's biodiversity in the context of projected population growth, economic expansion, and climate change. Researchers highlight how environmental pollution, including emerging contaminants like microplastics, compounds existing threats to the continent's ecosystems.
Microplastics in juvenile Chinook salmon and their nearshore environments on the east coast of Vancouver Island
Researchers investigated microplastic ingestion in juvenile Chinook salmon and their nearshore marine environments on the east coast of Vancouver Island, finding microplastics present in both fish digestive tracts and surrounding waters and characterizing the types of particles consumed.
Monitoring microplastic–contaminant sorption processes in real-time using membrane introduction mass spectrometry
Researchers used membrane introduction mass spectrometry for the first time to monitor in real time how contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nonylphenol sorb onto microplastics, finding that sorption rates scaled with contaminant hydrophobicity and varied by plastic type with LDPE absorbing contaminants 4–10 times faster than polystyrene.
Microplastics in bivalves and their habitat in relation to shellfish aquaculture proximity in coastal British Columbia, Canada
Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in Manila clams and Pacific oysters grown at commercial shellfish aquaculture sites versus reference beaches in coastal British Columbia, finding that proximity to aquaculture operations influenced microplastic levels in both bivalves and surrounding sediments.
Qualitatively recognizing the dimensions of student environmental identity development within the classroom context
This study qualitatively identified eight dimensions of environmental identity development in elementary school students engaged in a pollution-focused science curriculum, finding that emotional responses and personal meaning emerged as distinct dimensions not previously captured in adult environmentalist research.
Rapid and high-throughput analysis of PAHs and pesticides adsorbed on microplastics using SPME-MS through a microfluidic open interface coupled to liquid electron ionization mass spectrometry
Researchers developed a rapid, low-waste analytical method to measure how well common pesticides and industrial chemicals stick to microplastic particles in water. They found that plastic type and chemical structure both influence adsorption strength, with the pesticide chlorpyrifos clinging especially tightly to polyethylene — a concern given its known toxicity.