Research

Does the presence of microplastics in terrestrial environments impact the transport of organic contaminants?

Microplastics are known to adsorb metals and organic molecules from their surrounding environments. While this phenomenon is well studied in aquatic environments, similar work in terrestrial environments is lacking. Studying the altered mobility of these co-contaminated systems can improve our understanding of soil and groundwater remediation efforts.

How do aged and weathered microplastics alter the mobility of contaminants?

Many laboratory studies use pristine microplastics in their work. However, microplastics in the environment are irregularly shaped and sized and their surfaces are oxidized. These alterations to surface area and polarity are likely to impact how contaminants adsorb to their surface, thus impacting mobility. We aim to gain an understanding of this impact in both aqueous and terrestrial environments.

Do we detect perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in our rainwater?

Atmospheric transport of contaminants is one avenue for contaminants to become widespread in our environment. Volatile and semi-volatile contaminants can enter the atmosphere and be transported far from the emission source. They can then return to Earth's surface via wet or dry deposition. Currently, we are most interested in monitoring PFAS in our rainwater in Baltimore, MD. PFAS (also known as "forever chemicals") are extremely persistant pollutants and pose significant health and environmental risks.