We seek to develop a molecular-level understanding of the environmental degradation of plastic

Research

Transformation and Fate of Plastics

As plastics are exposed to a variety of environmental driving forces, their chemical and physical properties change. The Maurer-Jones group primarily studies the influence of UV-light degradation on the changes to plastics, including the development of new analytical detection strategies to quantify early stage degradation. We also seek to understand how these changes subsequently affect plastics behavior, such as the formation of microplastics or the binding of proteins and pollutants.

Representative Publications:

T.F. Mundhenke, S.C. Li, M.A. Maurer-Jones. Photodegradation of Polyolefin Thin Films in Simulated Natural Water Conditions. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts 2022, 24, 2284-2293. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EM00359G

T. Hebner and M.A. Maurer-Jones. Characterizing Microplastic Size and Morphology of Photodegraded Polymers Placed in Simulated Moving Water. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. 2020, 22(2), 398-407. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00475K

J.M. Tigner*, M.M. Elmer-Dixon, M.A. Maurer-Jones. Quantification of Polymer Surface Degradation using Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Analytical Chemistry 2023 95, 26, 9975–9982. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01151

M.M. Elmer-Dixon, L.P. Fawcett*, E. Sorensen*, M.A. Maurer-Jones. BSA bends over backwards to bind aged plastic. Environmental Science and Technology 2024 58 (23), 10207-10215. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c10028

table of contents graphic of BSA binding weathered PE

table of contents graphic of fluorescence staining for degradation

table of contents graphic of measuring microplastics in watercolumn

table of contents graphic of harbor/open lake microplastic abundance differences

Quantification and Characterization of Microplastics in Natural Waters

Through the past decade, studies of microplastic contamination has illustrated the pervasiveness of these particle pollutants. Duluth and the rest of Minnesota understands the importance of our water and Lake Superior, in the backyard of UMD, offers an important study sight, where a relatively pristine water body has contamination levels on the order of ocean gyres. The Maurer-Jones group, in collaboration with folks at the Large Lake Observatory, work to understand the occurrence and dynamics of microplastics in our natural systems.

Representative Publications:

M. Fox, G.D. Schwoerer, K.M. Schreiner, E.C. Minor, M.A. Maurer-Jones. Microplastics in the Water Column of Western Lake Superior. ACS ES&T Water 2022, 2, 10, 1659-1666. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.2c00169

E.C. Minor, U.D. Gomes, K.M. Schreiner, N.J. Poulton, M.A. Maurer-Jones. Small Microplastic Particles in Lake Superior: A Preliminary Study Coupling Nile Red Staining, Flow Cytometry and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 2023 1: 800-813. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10582

A. Thomas, J. Marchand, G.D. Schwoerer, E.C. Minor, M.A. Maurer-Jones, Size Distributions of Microplastics in the Saint-Louis Estuary and Western Lake Superior. Environmental Science and Technology 2024 58 (19), 8480-8489. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c10776

Role of Weathering in Biodegradability

One solution to the plastic pollution problem is to develop and commercialize plastics that more readily broken down. Bio-derived and biodegradable plastics are a growing area of research, development, and commercialization. However, sustainable design and implementation of these emerging polymer technologies requires an understanding of the end-of-life of these materials considering they will be degraded when they enter the waste stream. The Maurer-Jones group seeks to understand how the material properties, and the changes that result from abiotic weathering, may ultimately impact their desired biodegradability. Through this, we might better design plastics and the systems used to biodegrade them.

Representative Publications:

M.A. Maurer-Jones, E.M. Monzo. Quantifying Photochemical Transformations of Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephathalate) Films. ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2021, 3(2), 1003-1011. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c01283

M.H. Brown, T.D. Badzinski, M. Ehlebracht, E. Pardoe, M.A. Maurer-Jones. Photodegradation of Polylactic Acid Kickstarts Enzymatic Hydrolysis. ACS Materials AU 2024 4, 92-98. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmaterialsau.3c00065

T.D. Badzinski, A.L. Campanaro, C. List, M.H. Brown, R.L. Penn, M.A. Maurer-Jones. Effects of Enzyme Hydrolysis on Biofilm Formation and Biotic Degradation of Bioplastics. ACS Omega 2025, 10(17), 17394-17403. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c10602

table of contents graphic of mechanisms of photodegradation of PBAT

table of contents graphic of enzyme and biofilm impact on the surface of PLA

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