|
Have you ever wanted to know how much plastic is in your local waterway? Maybe you've wondered about the types of plastic that accumulate in your garden beds? How about ingestion rates of a specific species?
We are here to help YOU answer your plastic pollution questions. Visit our research page to learn more about our pricing and to get a quote for your project! |
We provide:
We offer our services to:
|
INDEPENDENT LAB FOR HIREWe provide:
We offer our services to:
|
sample processing estimates
*can include wastewater, surface and sub-surface water.
**can include rain, ice/snow, indoor and/or outdoor air/dust, samples collected via deposition/pump Disclaimer: Your project might fall under a different category depending on the sample contents and what is required. plastic composition analysis estimates |
internshipsOur research lab also offers a 40-hour internship program to high school and college level students year-round. This provides applied learning opportunities in field and laboratory settings. Students are trained and supervised by the laboratory director in ongoing research projects and will potentially work with members from a myriad of disciplines including Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Studies, Marine Biology, etc.
Students will learn laboratory safety, sample processing of different types of samples looking for microplastics, particle analysis using a u-FTIR, and data organizing. Occasionally, the opportunity for field sampling arises and students will learn field contamination mitigation techniques, proper sampling techniques for different types of samples, and data recording. It is a true confidence builder. |
|
Plastic in freshwater |
Plastic in Sea water |
Plastic ingestion by animals |
PLASTIC IN SEDIMENT
|
STUDENT PROJECTS
|
UNCW Marine debris courseSince Fall 2016, POP has partnered with UNC Wilmington to offer undergraduate and graduate students a new course, Marine Debris - EVS 495/582. Students conduct semester-long research projects and explore a variety of methodologies and technologies for analyzing local plastic debris. Students also participate in offshore excursions to collect plastic debris from the Gulf Stream. After the semester is completed, students present their work to the class with the opportunity to present a poster at the Ocean Advocacy Workshop. |
|
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ftir)The FTIR allows us to identify microparticles based on the IR light reflected back to the sensors.
|
attenuated total reflectance (atr)The ATR allows us to identify larger particles based on the IR light reflected back to the sensors.
|
solar simulatorThis instrument allows us to degrade plastics via light and heat similar to that of the sun.
Funded by the Landfall Foundation |
