Postgraduate research opportunities Determination & behaviour of microplastics in terrestrial systems

Whilst pollution of the marine environment with microplastics is now recognised as an issue of global concern, considerably less is known about their behaviour in freshwater and terrestrial environments [1]. Research is urgently needs to determine the abundance, types, and sources of plastic present in soil, and whether they act as a vector for priority organic pollutants and potentially toxic elements as they do in marine systems. However, studies to date have been hampered by a lack of suitable, standardised analytical methods [2],

This PhD project will investigate the chemical interactions between microplastic pellets and soil through laboratory and field experiments, and develop and apply appropriate analytical chemistry methods to assess the role of microplastics in transport of priority pollutants in soil systems. It will involve a combination of:

• analytical method development
• weathering studies to assess how exposure to the soil environment affects the pellets
• sorption studies with different classes of pollutants
• field studies to determine the types and amounts of plastics present in soil

The student will gain experience in a wide range of methods for the analysis and characterisation of soil and plastics. These will include sample extraction/digestion methods; methods for identification of plastics such as ATR-FTIR; and methods for measurement of pollutant concentrations.

1. Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities. AA Horton, A Walton, DJ Spurgeon, E Lahive and C Svendsen. Science of the Total Environment, 2017, 586, 127-141.
2. Microplastics in the environment: a review of analytical methods, distribution, and biological effects. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2019, 111, 62-72.