Science Inventory

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The objective of the USEPA&rsquo;s Microplastic (MP) research has been to standardize and develop methods to extract MP from environmental matrices.&nbsp; Analysis of microplastics (MP) is complicated due to the heterogeneous nature of polymers, high concentrations of additives, ...

Variations in stratospheric ozone and changes in the aquatic environment by climate change and human activity are modifying the exposure of aquatic ecosystems to UV radiation. These shifts in exposure have consequences for the distributions of species, biogeochemical cycles, and ...

This paper reviews the currently used pretreatment methods for microplastics (MPs) analysis in soil and freshwater sediments, primarily sample processing, pretreatment, and characterization methods for MPs analysis. In addition, analytical tools (e.g., lab instruments), MPs chara...

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging class of pollutants in air, soil, and, especially, in all aquatic environments.&nbsp; Secondary MPs are generated in the environment during fragmentation of especially photo-oxidized plastic litter. Photo-oxidation is mediated primarily by sola...

Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) is an ecohydrology model being leveraged in a recently-initiated effort to identify practical, proactive watershed restoration strategies that can be initiated now to lessen long-term impacts of climate change on Puget Sou...

Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) is an ecohydrology model being leveraged in a recently initiated effort to identify practical, proactive watershed restoration strategies that can be initiated now to lessen long-term impacts of climate change on Puget Sou...

It is estimated that more than 70% of plastics that enter aquatic systems ultimately reside in the sediments. Sediments are considered a sink, and through resuspension events, a source of microplastics to the aquatic environment. The objective of this workshop hosted by the South...

Microplastics (MP) are distributed throughout ecosystems and settle into sediments where they may threaten benthic communities; however, methods for quantifying MP in sediments have not been standardized. This study compares two methods for analyzing MP in sediments, including ex...

Microplastics in the aquatic system are among the many inevitable consequences of plastic pollution, which has cascading environmental and public health impacts. Our study aimed at analyzing surface interactions and leachate production of six microplastics under ultraviolet (UV) ...

Although a considerable knowledge base exists for environmental contamination from nanoscale and colloidal particles, significant knowledge gaps exist regarding the sources, transport, distribution, and effects of microplastic pollution (plastic particles &lt;&thinsp;5&thinsp;mm)...

A high-throughput approach to detecting, quantifying, and characterizing microplastics (MPs) by shape, size, and polymer type using laser direct infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy in surface water samples is demonstrated. Three urban creeks were sampled for their MP content near Cincin...

Microscopy is often the first step in microplastic analysis and is generally followed by spectroscopy to confirm material type. The value of microscopy lies in its ability to provide count, size, color, and morphological information to inform toxicity and source apportionment. To...

Microplastics (MPs) (defined as plastic particles &lt; 5 mm in size) and microfibers are widely distributed in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.&nbsp; The plastics are often combined in composites with nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes or graphene oxide that maximize desir...

Microplastics (MP) are globally distributed throughout marine ecosystems and settle into sediments where they may threaten benthic communities; however, methods for quantifying MP in sediments have yet to be standardized. This study compares two methods for quantifying MP in sedi...

Plastic particles are found in aquatic systems worldwide, and the effects of plastics on ecosystem health are of growing concern. Macro- and microplastics fragment into nanoplastic particles (&lt;1 &micro;m) in the environment, often accumulating in sediments. Marine sediments ac...

Plastic production and usage have increased dramatically over last several decades. Due to their durability, inadequate waste management and resistance to degradation, plastics tend to accumulate in landfills and aquatic habitats. Upon entering marine ecosystems, these contaminan...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s in a wide array of consumer products. PFAS are persistent in the environment and bioaccumulate. Thermal treatment methods are currently applied to a variety of mater...

As concern about the impact of petroleum-based microplastics and nanoplastics (MNP) grows, numerous analytical methods for MNP in environmental matrices are being developed. &nbsp;To help standardize method development among researchers, Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) assembled ...

To match exponential increases in plastic manufacturing and the expanding diversity of material applications, production of performance-enhancing polymer additives has also greatly increased. Many polymer-associated chemicals (PAC) are not covalently bound to the polymer and may ...

Microplastic (MP) particles (5mm-1 nm) are ubiquitous and exponentially increasing in our environment. &nbsp;In aquatic systems, the majority of these particles are deposited in sediments through processes of aggregation, biofouling and settling. Once entrained in sediments, MP h...

Microplastics (MP), plastic particles 5 mm - 1 nm in size are ubiquitous and increasing in abundance in the environment.&nbsp; Accurate identification and quantification of MPs are the first steps in understanding the fate, transport and effects of these particles. Their varied c...

Microplastic (MP) particles (5mm-1 nm) are ubiquitous and exponentially increasing in our environment. &nbsp;In aquatic systems, the majority of these particles are deposited in sediments through processes of aggregation, biofouling and settling. Once entrained in sediments, MP h...

As concern about the impact of conventional, petroleum-based plastics grows, bioplastics (BPs) have emerged as potentially sustainable alternatives.&nbsp; The fate of BPs in the environment remains uncertain and some may breakdown into nano- and micro-plastics forms in a similar ...

Microplastics (MP) are globally distributed throughout marine ecosystems and settle into sediments where they may threaten benthic communities; however, methods for quantifying MP in sediments have yet to be standardized. This study compares two methods for quantifying MP in sedi...

The process was tested using spiked MPs with the most common polymers (i.e., PE, PVC, PET) in different sizes and shapes in deionized water. This method was also validated using two environmentally contaminated sediments. Based on statistical analyses, our results found the analy...