Interested in microplastics? We're looking for you!
There's a group based out of southern Wisconsin who is looking to start a project monitoring for microplastics. They're interested in hearing about other people's experiences, talking about lessons learned, and best practices as they work on setting up a monitoring program. They will be working with BabyLegs, but other microplastic monitoring experiences and interests welcome!
Join us Thursday, July 2
We have a zoom line set up for 6pm et/ 5 ct. Come listen and/or offer ideas!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7773049177
We're looking for:
- Others interested in microplastics monitoring,
- Anyone interested in using BabyLegs, and
- Anyone with experience monitoring microplastics!
Agenda:
- 17:00 - 17:05 Welcome
- 17:05 - 17:15 Introductions
- 17:15 - 17:30 Intro to baby legs in streams and rivers
- 17:30 - 18:15 Experiences, lessons learned and best practices
- 18:15 - 18:30 Data analysis and reporting
- 18:30 - 18:35 Session closes for external attendees
- 18:35 - 18:45 Site selection and local teams
- 18:45 - 18:50 Questions
- 18:50 - 19:00 Wrap up and evaluation
Thinking about coming? Let us know in the comments!
BabyLegs Photo by Dave Howell for MEOPAR
11 Comments
Super interested and the timing couldn't be better! I'm a citizen working with the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper and we got funding to pioneer (as far as we know) microplastics testing in this river. But have zero experience. I look forward to Zooming.
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Yes! Very interested! Brief history: I was a scientist (hydrogeology and geochemistry with a background in marine ecology and microbiology) for 15 years before become and educator for 25. My partner and I just retired and will be spending much of our time on a sailboat. I would love a way to collect data for and find additional ways to support citizen science initiatives. I have a Baby Legs monitoring kit and have wondered about collecting daily samples. It would be great to be able to share that data!
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I'm interested in deploying Baby Legs as a part of a chemistry lab this Fall. I'm curious--do any contamination issues arise from using a cut plastic bottle as the flotation device?
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Great question! My first thought would be no, you shouldn't be loosing plastic pieces from the bottle into the waterway, but let's chat about this on the call.
Agree, and will mention that the BabyLegs technologists have identified that 3d printed plastic trawls have a higher risk of leaving bits of plastic behind than using a cut water bottle. If i can find a link to this documentation, i'll add.
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Hi all! Reminder this call is this Thursday. Looking forward to it!
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Hi Everyone! I am always interested in expanding my knowledge base around microplastics, looking forward to joining this call.
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Hi all -- looking forward to Thursday. Our team was planning to follow the methods for analyzing microplastics in marine & sediment environments that are detailed in this pdf from NOAA: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/publications-files/noaa_microplastics_methods_manual.pdf
The NOAA methods are a bit intimidating to this everyday citizen (me) who has no college level science background whatsoever -- dealing with oxidation solution that can "boil violently" if overheated and, I just noticed, needing a "fume hood". (I was already aware we need a drying oven, a dissecting microscope, a 0.1 mg balance, and various beakers, funnels, sieves, hotplate etc.)
I wonder whether there is a simpler and safer way to measure weight of microplastics per liter of water?
We are also interested in baby legs, of course, and will give it a try, but it's my understanding we could only then report on visual qualitative analysis, not on quantitative prevalence of plastics. (right?)
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Yo. I am doing Nurdle Patrol in Louisiana, and trying to coordinate with LSU. This is a particular kind of plastic pollution that is directly deposited from industrial production, before they have any commercial use. I also have the babylegs and the public lab microscope.
Check out their reporting form: https://nurdlepatrol.org/Forms/DataEntry/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6Re-04KS_A&t=60s
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Yo. I am doing Nurdle Patrol in Louisiana, and trying to coordinate with LSU. This is a particular kind of plastic pollution that is directly deposited from industrial production, before they have any commercial use. I also have the babylegs and the public lab microscope.
Check out their reporting form: https://nurdlepatrol.org/Forms/DataEntry/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6Re-04KS_A&t=60s
here's a map of sample spots on the lower River https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2305558,-90.8397436,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!6m1!1s1PS_gydKyioQOMsJ-59XKyOtzfT6wWFZ2?authuser=1
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Hi All! Reminder the call is tonight! Looking forward to speaking with you then.
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