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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) using Ocean Plastic Microbes as a Framework that Is Impactful for Both In-Person and Online Course Modalities
ClearResearch-based learning as an innovative approach for teaching students of environmental engineering: a case study of the emerging field of microplastics in soil
Researchers at a German university designed hands-on, low-cost laboratory experiments teaching environmental engineering students how microplastics affect soil processes, using a research-based learning approach instead of traditional lectures. The module was so effective that multiple students continued into graduate research on the topic and the course was made freely available online.
Detecting Microplastics in Soil and Sediment in an Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory Experiment That Promotes Skill Building and Encourages Environmental Awareness
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.
Citizen_Labs – conception and evaluation of a course on plastic waste and microplastic in adult education
Researchers conceived and evaluated a citizen science laboratory course on plastic waste and microplastics for adult education, examining how experiential learning formats can raise environmental awareness and scientific literacy about plastic pollution among non-specialist participants.
Integrating Community Service into Student Learning: A Model Event of a Plastic Waste Cleanup
Despite its title referencing plastic waste, this paper describes an educational outreach program combining beach cleanup events with classroom lectures on plastic recycling and sustainability — not original scientific research on microplastic pollution. It examines how community service can be integrated into student learning experiences and is not relevant to microplastics science or human health impacts.
A CURE for Microplastics: Introducing First-Year Honors Students to Environmental Chemistry through Undergraduate Research
Researchers developed a course-based undergraduate research experience for first-year honors students centered on microplastic environmental chemistry, providing early research exposure to underrepresented STEM students. The study assessed whether such early-stage CUREs improve STEM persistence and students' sense of scientific identity.
Broadening Participation through Research Experiences in Marine Science: An Early-Admit Immersive College Course Provides Experiential, Place-Based Scientific Training for Hawai‘i High School Students
This paper describes an immersive marine science research program for high school students from underrepresented groups in Hawaii. The program is focused on science education and STEM equity rather than microplastic contamination.
Isolating Microplastics from Biofilm Communities
This study developed a protocol for isolating and observing microplastics from biofilm communities in urban waterways, and successfully integrated the method into a project-based learning curriculum for high school science education.
An Ocean of Science: an educational laboratory approach for the protection and preservation of the marine environment
An educational project called 'An Ocean of Science' developed laboratory activities for schoolchildren to learn about marine pollution, including microplastics, through hands-on scientific investigations. The program aimed to build scientific literacy and environmental awareness among students in multiple countries.
The structure and assembly mechanisms of plastisphere microbial community in natural marine environment
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastic surfaces in natural marine environments over an eight-week period. They found that the composition of these plastic-associated microbial communities, known as the plastisphere, was shaped more by environmental conditions and time than by the specific type of plastic. The study provides new understanding of the ecological processes governing how microorganisms assemble on ocean plastic debris.
Increasing Awareness on the Health Effects of Microplastics in Middle and High School Classrooms
Educators developed a presentation and hands-on laboratory experiment on microplastic health effects for middle and high school students, finding that structured lessons significantly improved student understanding of how micro- and nanoplastics interact with the human body. The curriculum addresses a documented gap in public education about plastic pollution biology.
Culturing the Plastisphere: comparing methods to isolate culturable bacteria colonising microplastics
Researchers compared culturing methods for isolating bacteria from the plastisphere (plastic-colonizing microbial communities), finding that method choice strongly influences which bacterial taxa are recovered and that standardization is needed to better assess pathogen and resistance gene enrichment on microplastics.
Increasing knowledge and awareness of microplastic pollution in United States middle school students in a hybrid-classroom setting through science education
Researchers assessed microplastic pollution knowledge and awareness among middle school students in the United States, finding significant gaps in understanding of microplastic sources, pathways, and human health implications. The study highlights an educational opportunity and suggests targeted curriculum integration could improve scientific literacy around plastic pollution in younger generations.
Microplásticos no corpo humano: um percurso investigativo no ensino médio para despertar a consciência ambiental
This experience report describes a secondary school investigative didactic sequence in Brazil on microplastics in the human body, guiding 10th-grade students from initial hypothesis through flipped classroom activities to experimental investigation. The project successfully engaged students with environmental science and raised awareness of personal microplastic exposure.
Microbial carrying capacity and carbon biomass of plastic marine debris
Researchers estimated the microbial carrying capacity and carbon biomass of floating marine plastic debris, finding that the collective surface area of ocean plastic supports a substantial microbial community whose carbon biomass, while modest relative to total ocean microbial carbon, represents a novel and persistent ecological niche with potential biogeochemical significance.
Service-learning
This paper is not directly about microplastics; it describes a service-learning pedagogy used at a Croatian chemistry faculty to teach environmental protection, with community-based projects as the primary focus.
Relative Influence of Plastic Debris Size and Shape, Chemical Composition and Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions in Driving Seawater Plastisphere Abundance, Diversity and Activity
This study evaluated the relative influence of plastic debris size, shape, chemical composition, and environmental conditions on the microbial communities colonizing ocean plastics (the plastisphere). Results showed that multiple plastic properties and environmental factors jointly shape which microorganisms colonize plastic surfaces in the marine environment.
Internationalisation at Home: Developing a Global Change Biology Course Curriculum to Enhance Sustainable Development
Researchers developed an internationalisation-at-home curriculum for a Global Change Biology course, using diverse pedagogical approaches to expose all students to global sustainability issues such as climate change and microplastics without requiring international travel, assessing outcomes for sustainable development awareness.
Microbes on a Bottle: Substrate, Season and Geography Influence Community Composition of Microbes Colonizing Marine Plastic Debris
Researchers studied bacterial communities colonizing plastic bottles in marine environments, finding that substrate type, season, and geographic location all influenced which microbes colonized the plastic surface.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers reported on eight years of citizen science microplastic research conducted with school students through the Plastic Pirates program, sharing methodological experiences and lessons learned from involving more than 24,000 participants across Germany and other European countries in rigorous environmental monitoring.
Using experiential marine debris education to make an impact: Collecting debris, informing policy makers, and influencing students
Researchers developed an undergraduate experiential course in Connecticut in which students collected and catalogued over 1,600 pieces of marine debris from Long Island Sound, then presented findings directly to state legislators, with participants showing significant gains in environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behavior.
Investigating the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces
Researchers investigated the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces, examining how microbial communities interact with plastic polymers in environmental settings. The study characterized the 'plastisphere' — the community of microorganisms that colonize microplastic surfaces — and assessed the extent to which microbial activity contributes to plastic degradation in natural environments.
Igarapés como espaço educacional não formal para estudantes de uma escola pública no interior do Estado do Amazonas, Brasil
This paper describes a Brazilian educational project that used polluted and unpolluted local streams as outdoor classrooms to teach high school students about water pollution, including microplastics, through hands-on inquiry. While microplastic education is a component, the paper is primarily focused on pedagogy rather than reporting original microplastic research findings.
Are bacterial communities associated with microplastics influenced by marine habitats?
A three-month field exposure experiment on a Chinese island compared bacterial communities on polyethylene and PET microplastics in three marine habitats (intertidal, supralittoral, seawater), finding that habitat significantly shaped community structure but polymer type had a weaker influence.
Message in a (Plastic) Bottle
Researchers developed an educational activity in which students create a 'MicroGlobe' model mimicking real-world microplastic contamination in marine environments, calculating percentages of different microplastic types (beads, fragments, films, fibers) and generating pie charts to compare their data with real-world distributions, with modifications for students with visual impairments.