Members of the Paytan lab are also interested in how anthropogenic plastics impact our environment. The most familiar microplastics accumulate in the ocean and on land, but once they reach a specific size (1um- 5mm diameter), microplastics can be suspended in the air and carried for hundreds of miles. Atmospheric microplastics may manufactured at this small size, or may originate larger plastics that undergo physical degradation from the ocean, wind, or fire events.
Aerosol samples have been collected since 2005 to track microplastic abundance. We collect aerosol samples from Lake Tahoe and UCSC Coastal Science Campus to compare terrestrial versus coastal deposition of atmospheric microplastics. Other locations, like Jordan and Bermuda, are analyzed to compare the global effects of plastic pollution. We use a fluorescent microscope paired with NileRed dye to count the plastic particles from environmental samples. Larger plastics are extracted to be analyzed by ATR-FTIR to determine polymer type. Quantifying atmospheric microplastics is essential to understanding the anthropogenic effects on the environment. This research aims to bring awareness to anthropogenic impacts on the environment.
Below are just a few examples of microplastics we have collected and observed via microscopy.
Microplastics Research Team
