Grantee Research Project Results
2024 Progress Report: Microplastics Sampling for Stormwater Management
EPA Grant Number: SU840579Title: Microplastics Sampling for Stormwater Management
Investigators: Bathi, Jejal R , Devries, Stephanie , Sreenivas, Kidambi
Institution: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
EPA Project Officer: Brooks, Donald
Phase: I
Project Period: August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024 (Extended to December 31, 2024)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2023 through December 31,2024
Project Amount: $24,997
RFA: 19th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet Request for Applications (RFA) (2022) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards
Objective:
Our proposed research was to design a new sampling device inspired by the Manta Trawl plankton net that is used in rivers and oceans for MP sampling. The proposed sampling device is to have three removable stacked sieves of different mesh sizes covering particle ranges within the standard MPs definition coupled with an optional positive displacement pump and a flow meter. Since the smaller mesh sizes are expected to restrict the flow passage, hence can cause backflow and potentially wash MPs out of the device and may not be effective for sampling the flows below 25 μm. It was our aim to size fractionize the sampled runoff for MPs in the in-situ conditions while the flow meter allows for the measurement of the volume of the sampled runoff. This design is
very similar to the design used by Liu et al., 2019, except that they employed a single fixed 100 μm filter with a large sampling pipe useful for sampling large waterbodies
Progress Summary:
Microplastic pollution is becoming an increasing concern as more and more evidence of its prevalence increases. This makes it necessary to track these particles as they pass through the environment. Having a sampling device that is lightweight and portable can make monitoring the sources of microplastic pollution easier. Furthermore, the same device can be used to sample various green infrastructures to evaluate their potential in microplastic contamination mitigation. This versatility allows it to be implemented in a variety of environments. and provides a standardized way of testing and comparing sources of microplastic pollution. This will help gain a better understanding of the extent of the pollution and be able to treat the issue. The device features reusable rings with embedded filters in addition to an all-metallic filter device. This allows us to keep the costs down as the same device can be used multiple times. Additional work is needed to reduce the size of the overall system as it currently uses a commercial off-the-shelf shop vac as the source of suction. Once that is completed, the device will become truly portable with the ability to carry out time-averaged or volume-averaged sampling of microplastics.
Future Activities:
In Phase I, we successfully identified a basic design for an MPs sampling device by experimenting with various prototypes and materials, followed by the demonstration of the device's effectiveness in collecting runoff samples for MP analysis. The next phase will build on this foundation by addressing several key improvements to enhance the device's functionality. Our primary goals include optimizing the design to handle larger sample volumes, ensuring accurate and reliable flow measurement, and enabling both flow-weighted and time-weighted sample collection. Additionally, we aim to make the device more compact and portable, with the potential for real-time imaging and detection of MPs in the field. Phase I involved computational design, fabrication, and lab validation, resulting in a functional sampling device. While the findings were shared with the community at multiple venues, we propose to have additional discussions with our collaborator, the City of Chattanooga, to gather feedback for effective community application and educate their staff on the use of the device to monitor MP pollution in surface runoff and green infrastructure systems. Field testing in selected urban locations confirmed the proof of concept and aligned with the EPA P3 program objectives by demonstrating the device’s effectiveness. In Phase II, we will refine the design to improve operational efficiency and enable advanced data collection, contributing to more robust MP monitoring and control strategies. This will ultimately support the sustainable design and retrofit of runoff controls for mitigating emerging MPs, aligning with EPA’s P3 program objectives for a sustainable environment.
References:
1. Cox, K. D.; Covernton, G. A.; Davies, H. L.; Dower, J. F.; Juanes, F.; Dudas, S. E., Human Consumption of Microplastics. Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53 (12), 7068-7074.
2. Liu, F.; Olesen, K. B.; Borregaard, A. R.; Vollertsen, J., Microplastics in urban and highway stormwater retention ponds. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 671, 992-1000.
3. Weber, F.; Kerpen, J.; Wolff, S.; Langer, R.; Eschweiler, V., Investigation of microplastics contamination in drinking water of a German city, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 755, Part 2,2021,143421,ISSN 0048-9697,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143421. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720369527).
4. SEGGER Wiki, "emWin on Arduino," https://wiki.segger.com/emWin_on_Arduino. Accessed: Oct. 26, 2023.
5. White, Cole. The best laboratory methods and field sampling techniques to quantify microplastics in small streams. (in prep), Master’s Thesis. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
6. Erni-Cassola, G.; Gibson, M. I.; Thompson, R. C.; Christie-Oleza, J.A. Lost, but found with Nile red ; a novel method to detect and quantify small microplastics (20 μm–1 mm) in environmental samples. Environmental Science & Technology 2017 51 (23), 13641-13648 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04512.
7. Prata, J. C.; Reis, V.; Matos, J.T.V.; da Costa, J.P.; Duarte, A. C.; Rocha-Santos, T. A new approach for routine quantification of microplastics using Nile Red and automated software (MP-VAT). Science of The Total Environment, Volume 690, 2019, 1277-1283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.060.
8. Kang, H.; Park, S.; Lee, B.; Ahn, J.; Kim, S. (2020) Modification of a Nile Red Staining Method for Microplastics Analysis: A Nile Red Plate Method. Water, 2020, 12, 3251. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12113251.
9. Seasky Medical. Plastic Melting Temperature Chart. Seasky Medical Blog, 2021 https://www.seaskymedical.com/plastic-melting-temperature-chart/
10. Kutralam-Muniasamy, G.; Shruti, V.C.; Pérez-Guevara, F.;, Roy, P. D.; I.; Elizalde-Martínez, I. Common laboratory reagents: Are they a double-edged sword in microplastics research?. Science of The Total Environment. Volume 875, 2023, 162610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162610
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 4 publications | 1 publications in selected types | All 1 journal articles |
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Chanda, C.; Bathi, J.R.; Khan, K.; Katyal, D.; Danquah, M. Microplastics in ecosystems:Critical review of occurrence, distribution, toxicity, fate, transport, and advances in experimental and computational studies in surface and subsurface water, Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 370, 2024,122492, ISSN 0301-4797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122492. |
SU840579 (2024) |
not available |
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.