A5000551075- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Municipal Solid Waste Management
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Water Quality Monitoring and Analysis
- Healthcare and Environmental Waste Management
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Spectroscopy Techniques in Biomedical and Chemical Research
- Environmental Education and Sustainability
University of Toronto
2019-2024
Ocean Conservancy
2023-2024
University of York
2018-2019
A mess of plastic It is not clear what strategies will be most effective in mitigating harm from the global problem pollution. Borrelle et al. and Lau discuss possible solutions their impacts. Both groups found that substantial reductions plastic-waste generation can made coming decades with immediate, concerted, vigorous action, but even best case scenario, huge quantities still accumulate environment. Science , this issue p. 1515 1455
Microplastic pollution research has suffered from inadequate data and tools for spectral (Raman infrared) classification. Spectral matching often are not accurate microplastics identification cost-prohibitive. Lack of accuracy stems the diversity microplastic pollutants, which represented in libraries. Here, we propose a viable software solution: Open Specy. Specy is on web (www.openspecy.org) an R package. free allows users to view, process, identify, share their spectra community library....
Microplastics are of major concerns for society and is currently in the focus legislators administrations. A small number measures to reduce or remove primary sources microplastics environment coming into effect. At moment, they have not yet tackled important topics such as food safety. However, recent developments 2018 bill California requesting analysis drinking water by standardized operational protocols. Administrations analytical labs facing an emerging field methods sampling,...
The ubiquitous pollution of the environment with microplastics, a diverse suite contaminants, is growing concern for science and currently receives considerable public, political, academic attention. potential impact microplastics in has prompted great deal research recent years. Many methods have been developed to answer different questions about microplastic pollution, from sources, transport, fate environment, effects on humans wildlife. These are often insufficiently described, making...
As smaller particle sizes are increasingly included in microplastic research, it is critical to chemically characterize microparticles identify whether particles indeed microplastics. To increase the accessibility of methods for characterizing via Raman spectroscopy, we created an application-based library spectroscopy parameters specific microplastics based on color, morphology, and size. We also two spectral libraries that representative found environmental samples. Here, present SLoPP, a...
Raman spectral libraries specific to microplastics demonstrated improved matching results when weathered plastics and a variety of particle colors morphologies were included. Here, we explore if this is true for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well. We present two novel databases using attenuated total reflection (μATR-FTIR): (1) an FTIR library plastic particles (FLOPP), containing 186 spectra from common items, across 14 polymer types (2) sourced the environment...
Abstract Throughout the past decade, many studies have reported adverse effects in biota following microplastic exposure. Yet, field is still emerging as current understanding of toxicity limited. At same time, recent legislative mandates required environmental regulators to devise strategies mitigate pollution and develop health-based thresholds for protection human ecosystem health. The publication rate also presents a unique challenge scientists, managers, other communities may find it...
We investigated microplastic (MP) contamination in 16 commonly-consumed protein products (seafoods, terrestrial meats, and plant-based proteins) purchased the United States (U.S.) with different levels of processing (unprocessed, minimally-processed, highly-processed), brands (1–4 per product type, depending on availability) store types (conventional supermarket grocer featuring mostly natural/organic products). Mean (±stdev) MP serving among was 74 ± 220 particles (ranging from 2 chicken...
We conducted a nationally-representative survey of United States (U.S.) adults (n=1,960) in 2021 to gather insights on the knowledge, perceptions, and concerns about threats ocean, with specific focus plastics microplastic pollution. Responses from U.S. adult group were compared highly-engaged, Ocean Conservancy members who are very attuned ocean issues (n=882). is U.S.-based nonprofit environmental advocacy working protect today’s greatest challenges. Plastic pollution was primary concern...
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) products and their associated chemicals (e.g., styrenes) are widespread in the marine environment. As a consequence, bans on use for single-use packaging materials being proposed several municipalities. To better understand how science can inform decision-making, we looked at available scientific literature about contamination effects conducted experiments to measure chemical leachate from toxicity leachate. We leaching with common food matrices (water, soup broth,...
ABSTRACT Plastic pollution in the marine environment is well documented. What remains less recognized and understood are chemicals associated with it. Plastics enter ocean unreacted monomers, oligomers, additives, which can leach over time. Moreover, plastics sorb organic inorganic from surrounding seawater, for example, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) metals. Thus, interception cleanup of reduces amount chemical contaminants entering or reentering oceans removes those already present....
Pathways for microplastics to aquatic ecosystems include agricultural runoff, urban and treated or untreated wastewater. To better understand the importance of each pathway as a vector into waterbodies mitigation, we sampled stormwater wastewater effluent, downstream in four regions across North America: Sacramento Delta, Mississippi River, Lake Ontario, Chesapeake Bay. The highest concentrations varied by region: runoff Delta effluent Material types were diverse not unique pathways....
Abstract The amount of household waste produced worldwide is increasing every year. In combination with other actions to reduce production and improve management, community engagement community‐focused programs are needed motivate the public change their behavior in such a way that reduces generation increases accuracy sorting. It also helpful for people become more literate empower them be part solution. Home Waste Audit (HWA) science activity designed increase literacy waste. HWA,...
Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-asp-10.1177_0003702820930292 for Reporting Guidelines to Increase the Reproducibility and Comparability of Research on Microplastics by Win Cowger, Andy M. Booth, Bonnie Hamilton, Clara Thaysen, Sebastian Primpke, Keenan Munno, Amy L. Lusher, Alexandre Dehaut, Vitor P. Vaz, Max Liboiron, Lisa I. Devriese, Ludovic Hermabessiere, Chelsea Rochman, Samantha N. Athey, Jennifer Lynch, Hannah De Frond, Andrew Gray, Oliver A.H. Jones, Susanne Brander, Clare Steele,...
Supplemental material, sj-pdf-2-asp-10.1177_0003702820930292 for Reporting Guidelines to Increase the Reproducibility and Comparability of Research on Microplastics by Win Cowger, Andy M. Booth, Bonnie Hamilton, Clara Thaysen, Sebastian Primpke, Keenan Munno, Amy L. Lusher, Alexandre Dehaut, Vitor P. Vaz, Max Liboiron, Lisa I. Devriese, Ludovic Hermabessiere, Chelsea Rochman, Samantha N. Athey, Jennifer Lynch, Hannah De Frond, Andrew Gray, Oliver A.H. Jones, Susanne Brander, Clare Steele,...