Melissa Mauer-Jones, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is speaking about her research on microplastics this Tuesday, September 22 from 1-1:30 p.m. in her lab, room 121 of the HCAMS building, 1039 University Drive.
“We want to understand the burden and behavior of plastics in Lake Superior and beyond,” she says. She and her team are researching photochemical and microbial degradation of polymers and pollutants in natural water systems.
Project Launch
On August 6 and 7, 2020, during the project’s first project cruise on the Research Vessel Blue Heron, the team sampled four sites in Lake Superior. They used a series of filtration techniques to determine the sizes and types of plastics, taking samples from the top, middle, and bottom of the lake at each site. The team used a combination of nets and filtration systems to capture and record plastics of different sizes.
In addition, Maurer-Jones, Minor, and Schreiner are testing how the plastic has weathered by looking for changes to the plastic chemistry. This will help them make connections of the chemical and physical state of the plastic and its potential impacts to ecosystems. For example, sunlight has been shown to play a role in the formation of micro- and nano-plastics, but characterization of the extent of this weathering in natural samples is relatively new and will add to the body of knowledge in this area.