Microplastics in Lake Superior: An Investigation of Size, Composition, and Weathering.

2020-2022 Biennial Request for Proposal Project

Image credit: Oregon State University/CC 2.0

The goal of this project is to characterize the size and weathering of plastic particles in Lake Superior and the St. Louis Estuary.

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Why do this

This project seeks to address knowledge gaps regarding smaller-size microplastics, which are considered to be significantly biologically active.

Funding

Minnesota Sea Grant provided research support through our 2020-2022 biennial competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

Lead scientist(s)

Melissa Maurer-Jones
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Minnesota Duluth
218-726-7088
maujones@d.umn.edu

Scholarly Articles

  • Teixeira Franca Alves, P. H., Bahr, G., Clarke-Sather, A. R., and Maurer-Jones, M. A. (December 15, 2023). "Combining Flexible and Sustainable Design Principles for Evaluating Designs: Textile Recycling Application." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. February 2024; 146(2): 020903. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4063993

  • Minor, E.C., Gomes, U.D., Schreiner, K.M., Poulton, N.J., Hendrickson, E. and Maurer-Jones, M.A. (2023), Small microplastic particles in Lake Superior: A preliminary study coupling Nile red staining, flow cytometry and pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Limnol Oceanogr Methods, 21: 800-813. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10582

  • Fox, John & Schwoerer, Guenter & Schreiner, Kathryn & Minor, Elizabeth & Maurer-Jones, Melissa. (2022). Microplastics in the Water Column of Western Lake Superior. ACS ES&T Water. 2. 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00169. 

Media Mentions

Partners

  • Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, NGO
  • Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, State/Local Government
  • University of Minnesota, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academic Institution (College and University)
  • University of Minnesota, Duluth, Biology Department, Academic Institution (College and University)
  • University of Minnesota, Duluth, Large Lakes Observatory, Academic Institution (College and University)