JOIN US FOR OUR SACRAMENTO BRANCH MEETING
This meeting will be held virtually.
PRESENTATION:
Risks of Microplastics in Freshwater Systems
PRESENTATION INFORMATION:
Plastics, while incredibly useful to both industrial and commercial products due to their flexibility and durability, is a global waste management issue. In 2020, roughly 368 million tons of plastic was produced for packaging, textiles, consumer products, transportation, construction, electronics and more. Due to the lack of a circular economy for plastic, a large majority will be used once before being discarded, taken to landfills, incinerators, and recycling facilities. A large fraction of this waste is mismanaged and disposed of in the environment. Plastic debris in the environment are found within freshwater lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater where sedimentation can occur or transport to the marine environment. Plastic waste in aqueous environments has the potential to undergo abiotic and biotic weathering that will cause fragmentation to the polymer result in the release of microplastics and hazardous polymer associated chemicals. Polymer associated chemicals (PACs) include polymer additives and monomers that are intentionally incorporated into the polymer to imbue the material with certain properties along with non-intentionally added substances like processing impurities. Some PACs have previously demonstrated toxicity including being mutagenic and carcinogenic. PACs are not physically bound to the polymer and can be released into aqueous environments. Thus, plastic pollution introduces a risk of harm to marine and freshwater organisms via leaching and ingestion of microplastics that will result in exposure to hazardous chemicals. It is important to fully characterize these processes to determine the environmental fate and risks of microplastics in freshwater systems.
SPEAKER:
Dr. Imari Walker
SPEAKER BIO:
Dr. Imari Walker is a research scientist at Research Triangle International (RTI). In 2021, Imari completed her PhD at Duke University investigating the release, transformation and effects of polymer associated chemicals within aquatic environments. In particular, her dissertation work focused on endocrine disrupting chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA) that are of concern to human health and the environment. Before Duke, Imari completed her Bachelors in Marine Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Alongside her work, Imari uses her science communication-based YouTube channel to share information about plastic pollution, microplastics, and chemicals associated with these consumer products.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lauren Short - short@geoconinc.com