Research

Microplastics pollution has grown to become a world-wide crisis. The inevitable consequence of dramatically increased plastic use, microscopic plastic particles and fibres contaminate natural marine, terrestrial and atmospheric ecosystems. To date, limited studies conducted in Europe, Asia and the Middle East have detected atmospheric microplastics, but no Canadian data yet exists. No systematic scientific study has characterized the health effects of microplastics in the inhalable and respirable ranges (PM 10 and PM 2.5 microns, respectively). Here we propose a program of NFRF research with the goals of (1) detecting and characterizing inhalable and respirable microplastics in indoor and outdoor air seasonally, and (2) exploring their potential adverse effects on health. To address this research challenge, we will assemble a unique interdisciplinary team forging a close collaborative interaction of leading groups in the fields of Aerobiology, Analytical and Atmospheric Chemistry, System Biology and Immunology.

We will collect seasonal outdoor and indoor aerosol particles with different sizes using Compact Multistage Cascade Impactors (CCI) and characterize microplastics in these samples using advanced methods of micro-Raman Spectroscopy and interferometric backscattering microscopy, backed by high-throughput image processing. With an in-depth understanding of the physical characteristics of inhalable and respirable microplastics including length, diameter, polymer type, surface chemistry, and concentration, we will use metagenomics shotgun sequencing to determine the range of microorganisms carried on the surfaces of microplastics. This work will shed new light on the extent to which microplastics act as a vector for transporting microbes. We will conduct animal studies to investigate the immunological and toxicological consequences of inhalation of these microplastics. As a control, we will prepare samples of known microplastics and shapes ranging from flakes and microbeads to microfibers spiked in sterile air, and compare their health impacts to those determined for environmental samples. Our success in this research will support ongoing national and provincial strategic initiatives underway in Canada, in line with the EU and UN environment programmes. The information and insight we gather will inform internationally integrated strategies for the control and mitigation of microplastics pollution with respect to their impact on health and well-being.

Researchers:
Sepideh Pakpour
Kirk Bergström
Ed Grant
Matthew Kowal
Home Organization:
University of British Columbia

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly concerning from both public and environmental health perspectives. Our team represents a multi-disciplinary network of researchers from several institutions and organizations, including the ocean conservation organization Ocean Wise, three UBC faculties, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Environmental Monitoring and Management Division at Metro Vancouver and Environmental Engineering Services at the City of Vancouver. Collectively, we are uniquely positioned to significantly contribute to inform science-based solutions to plastics in the Canadian environment. This proposal aims to substantially advance technologies to accurately quantify and characterize MPs pollution, including microfibers, in aquatic environments. As land-based activities play a key role in introducing MPs to the ocean, coastal urban watersheds are ideal to apply these technologies and study entry pathways of MPs. The Strait of Georgia is heavily urbanized and sources of contaminants (i.e. stormwater/runoff, atmospheric deposition, combined sewer overflows, rivers and wastewater outfalls) can be well constrained. Our goal is to deliver a comprehensive, solution-oriented research package that combines a) the development of a suite of innovative technologies for the accurate quantification and characterization of MPs in marine waters, plankton and planktivorous fish; b) studies on the sources, transport and fate of MPs in the Strait of Georgia (SoG) and its urbanized watershed; c) experiments on microbial-mediated MPs degradation; d) pioneering predictive models to evaluate the ultimate fate of MPs in SoG. We aim to identify the processes controlling MP dispersal, biological uptake, degradation, sedimentation in SoG, and export to the Pacific Ocean. Our findings will have direct implications for urban management of drainage water and liquid wastewater practices; for the private sector as firms seek to design and manufacture more sustainable materials; and for the consumer and homeowners; and regulators and policymakers working on plastics, material design and trade at the local, national, and international level.

Researchers:
Maria T. (Maite) Maldonado
Roger François
Susan Allen
Steven Hallam
Urs Häfeli

Home Organization:
University of British Columbia
Other Participants:
Ryan Ziels, Civil Engineering, UBC
OceanWise: Anna Posacka and Peter Ross;
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute: Mark Kurz;
MetroVancouver, Planning & Environment; City of Vancouver, Dept. of Engineering Services

Researchers:
Rashid Sumaila

Sewage-related policy decisions rely heavily on scientific and technical advice but there are deep disagreements among experts on the most suitable recommendations.  One such example is the Capital Regional District (CRD), British Columbia, Canada, where scientists have publicly positioned themselves either against (anti-treatment) or in favour (pro-treatment) of building a wastewater treatment (WWT) facility. The aim of the study is to analyse how scientists from the two sides frame the problem, the relative weight they place on different risks and uncertainties, and how the framing of risks and uncertainties are used to support their policy-recommendations.

Researchers:
Gunilla Öberg
Amanda Giang
Other Participants:
Daniel Steel, Associate Professor, School of Population and Public Health

Microplastics are one of the most pervasive global pollutants, and their presence in our oceans is a cause for great concern. As the name says, these are micro particles, less than 5mm in size, that have either been deliberately manufactured (e.g., microbeads in cosmetics), or emerge as larger plastics break down (nets, bottles, bags, clothing, etc.). They are roughly the same size range as plankton, and so when they show up in marine ecosystems they have the potential to be consumed by a vast array of organisms.

Dr. Brian Hunt and his team are concerned with the amount of microplastics that are consumed by zooplankton and herring. These are foundational species in the BC regional marine food webs, supporting many key species including salmon, seabirds, seals, sea lions and humpback whales. Moreover, herring represent a cultural, socio-economic and ecological key species for First Nations and coastal communities.

Researchers:
Brian Hunt

Researchers:
Brian Hunt

These research components aim to assess and project the impact of the microplastics footprint exposure and bioaccumulation potential on marine biodiversity in the global ocean at the geospatial level to understand the pollution footprint and hazard risk of plastics/microplastics exposure in the global ocean and for the most exposed coastal communities in tandem with food-web biomagnification modeling of microplastics in marine-coastal ecosystems.

Researchers:
Juan José Alava