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).
To receive regular updates about the project, please sign up for our newsletter, delivered to your inbox every third month.
News
Researcher Profile: Meet Sigrid Peldszus
Sigrid Peldszus is a Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo. She has been working at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Industrial Research Chair in Water Treatment for more than 30 years.
Microplastics Fingerprinting lead Philippe Van Cappellen awarded University Professor distinction
Philippe Van Cappellen, professor in the Earth and Environmental Sciences department and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate in Ecohydrology, has been appointed a University Professor by the University of Waterloo. This designation recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence, and once appointed, a faculty member retains the designation until retirement. Van Cappellen is the first Earth and Environmental Sciences professor to receive this honour.
Team member Peter Huck recognized for outstanding supervision of graduate students
“The relationships between graduate students and their academic supervisors are critical to achieving this goal. Our colleagues who are receiving the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision have been and continue to be exceptional collaborators with and mentors to our students. We are thrilled to celebrate their vast contributions to the graduate community.”