Please join us for the first Checmical Oceanography Seminar of the spring semester. Michaela Cashman from the EPA will be talking about her recent work with microplastics.

Title: Extraction and isolation of microplastics from marine sediments

Abstract: Microplastics (MPs) are small (<5 mm) plastic particles which pose potential risk to marine ecosystems. MP quantification in sediments is crucial for understanding their fate and effects in aquatic environments. Although there are many existing extraction and isolation methods, procedural differences prevent meaningful comparisons across datasets. A Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a new method for the extraction and isolation of MPs from marine sediments. This presentation will highlight the results of the RARE project which include an evaluation of existing MP extraction methods,  the development of a hybridized extraction method, and the application of this method to detect MPs in sediments from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.