Welcome to the Microplastics Fingerprinting project
Plastics pollution is a global and growing environmental hazard with potentially far-reaching consequences for food webs, biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. Of particular concern are microplastics because their small sizes enhance their mobility, toxicity to wildlife, and capacity to leach potentially dangerous contaminants.
The Microplastics Fingerprinting at the watershed scale: from sources to receivers projectseeks to better understand the sources, transport, fate and exposure risks of microplastics at a watershed scale in the lower Great Lakes. In doing so, we hope to inform program and policy approaches that can mitigate risks posed by plastic debris in the environment.
The project will analyze the reactivity and breakdown of microplastics in river systems and reservoirs, quantify the loads of microplastics delivered to the lower Great Lakes, optimize microplastics elimination in wastewater treatment plants, and determine the abundance and diversity of microplastics in drinking water sources.
This project is supported by the NSERC Alliance Grant competition on plastics science for a cleaner future. The project will contribute to Canada’s Plastics Science Agenda (CaPSA).
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News
New proposals for addressing microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes Region
Developing effective strategies to reduce future microplastic emissions and manage existing pollution is challenging. These tiny plastic particles come from diverse sources, including clothing fibers, tire wear, packaging, industrial processes, and the breakdown of larger plastics. Their widespread presence allows them to enter the environment through multiple pathways, complicating prevention efforts. Additionally, once released, most microplastics do not biodegrade and tend to accumulate. Removing them from water bodies remains neither cost-effective nor feasible with current technologies.
Engaging youth in tackling plastic pollution with the Earth Sciences Museum
As part of the Microplastics Fingerprinting project, our team, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo Earth Sciences Museum, has created an interactive outreach activity called “Mitigating Microplastics.”
Urban stormwater: A key pathway for microplastic pollution
Urban areas are increasingly recognized as major contributors to microplastics (MP) pollution, with stormwater runoff serving as a primary transport pathway. While many studies have documented the presence of MPs in stormwater, understanding the underlying causes and accurately forecasting contamination levels requires robust modeling efforts.