Sources
Jenn T. studies what that is a prominent source of microplastic pollution?
Waste water treatment plants! Despite the removal efficiency of about 95-98%, wastewater treatments plants still account for 65 million microplastics released every day.
What is the most common mesh size in microplastic collecting nets?
300 um!
What does WPO stand for?
Wet peroxide oxidation! This is the process we are using in the lab to digest the biological portions of samples so that we are only left with inorganics, such as plastic!
What is a plasticizer?
A solvent that is added to soften or make plastic more flexible. These are not firmly bound on the surfaces of plastics and can be easily released from microplastics into the environment.
What size are microplastics?
Less than 5 mm!
What are primary microplastics?
Plastics that are originally produced smaller than 5mm, such as microbeads in cosmetics or plastic particles for industrial use.
Manta trawls are typically used in what kind of conditions?
Calm water! This helps prevent equipment damage from tumultuous waves, as well as innacurate measurements.
Visual inspection of microplastics is most ideal for plastics of what size?
1-5mm! This is the process that Paul at HRWC uses to analyze the microplastics he finds in his samples.
Zooplankton that have consumed microplastics are eaten by a small fish, who is then in turn eaten by a bigger fish. Finally, a shark eats the bigger fish. When studied, scientists found thousands of pieces of microplastics in the stomach of this shark. What is this process called?
Bioaccumulation! This is the process of the microplastic being moved up the food chain to the largest predator in the environment.
Over the past ____ years, the world's plastic pollution has increased by approximately 590 times (Rochman et al. 2013b)
60 years! The production and use of plastics has grown exponentially and has caused serious, detrimental effects on the environment.
What are secondary microplastics?
Secondary microplastics are the result of biological, physical and chemical degradation on large plastic pieces.
Neuston nets can be used in what conditions?
Heavy storms! Neuston nets can be used in storms, while manta trawls are preferred for mild water conditions.
The method of adding NaCl to a sample and allowing it to sit for a few hours is called what?
Density separation! This allows the plastics to sit at the surface and be collected.
DAILY DOUBLE!
Which plasticizer does the paper refer to that disrupts reproduction and development, as well as induce genetic abnormalities?
Phthalates!
Microplastics have what kind of surface area : volume ratio?
Large surface area : small volume ratio! Large surface area allows lots of chemicals and microorganisms to attach to the surface.
DAILY DOUBLE!
Washing your clothing in a washer produces what kind of microplastic?
Micro fibers! Synthetic clothing that is tumbled around in your washing machine produces approximately 1900 fibers every wash (Mark Anthony et al. 2011).
Cora balls and filters can stop the spread of microplastics from your laundry.
Morgan is sampling from which creek in Ypsilanti?
Paint Creek!
Gong & Xie refer to studied using hydrogen peroxide to digest samples. What percent H2O2 did they reference?
35%. In our projects, we use 30%.
The process by which microplastics hold toxic chemicals or metals onto their surface is called what?
Adsorption! Microplastics hold toxic pollutants such as PFAs or other chemicals used in production. They have also been found to hold some metals, such a Nickel and Zinc.
How fast can microorganisms and a stable biofilm form on the surface of microplastics?
Around 7 days! This can attract planktonic life forms to also attach to the surface (Delphine & Michael, 2011), (Holmes et al. 2012).
What type of material used in agriculture is one of the most abundant sources of secondary microplastic pollution?
Plastic film! Plastic film is used for many different purposes in agriculture and usually breakdown by weathering. This allows the microplastics to easily enter local waterways.
(Gong & Xie 2020) refers to three sampling methods. What are they?
Selective sampling- selectively picking visible microplastics from the environment.
Bulk sampling- collects everything found in the net to be observed.
Volume-reduced sampling- sieving out unneccesary items at the sample site and retaining only part of the original sample.
According to Desforges et al. 2015a, what was the stated recovery rate for styrene and other materials exposed to acid digestion?
90-98%
TRUE OR FALSE: There is enough evidence to conclude that microplastics harm the human body by exposure.
FALSE! As of the date of publication of this paper, 2020, there is not enough evidence to conclude harm through exposure. However, humans do inhale and ingest microplastics through many sources in their day to day life.
WHO concluded that there is no human health concerns from microplastics (as of Aug 28th, 2019)
One example of policy change to prevent microplastic pollution prevented the production and sales of microbeads used in cosmetics in the United States.
Microbead - Free Waters Act of 2015!