1、Microplastic Abundance and Characteristics in Lake Microplastic Abundance and Characteristics in Lake Superior and Adjacent HarborSuperior and Adjacent HarborDr.Melissa A.Maurer-JonesDepartment of Chemistry&BiochemistryUniversity of Minnesota DuluthGreat Lakes Microplastic SummitOctober 2025Acknowle
2、dgementsAcknowledgementsmaujonesd.umn.eduFundingCollaboratorsElizabeth Minor(UMD)Kathryn Schreiner(UMD)Margaret Elmer-Dixon(MSOE)Jessica Sieber(UMD)R Lee Penn(UMN-TC)Matt Simcik(UMN-TC)https:/ production=9.2 billion tonnes as of 2019-Disposed through energy recovery(12%),landfilling(79%),and recycli
3、ng(9%)Plastics Europe 2015;OurWorldData 2019http:/www.exchangeorcas.org/the-realities-of-plastic-recycling/Plastics are in our environment in a number of waysZhu(2021)Carbon CyclePlastics are an under-studied part of the carbon cycleZhu(2021)Plastic CyclePlastic distribution through the environmentZ
4、hu(2021)Plastic CycleMany environmental compartments are under characterized for the abundance and flux of microplastics.Plastic distribution through the environmentPlastics and Microplastics some definitions Plastics a mixture of chemicals that include polymer+additives Microplastics tiny plastic p
5、articles(300 mVisual microscopy+FTIRsize fraction dependent analysis50-100&100-300 mFTIR microscopy5-50 mFlow Cytometry+pyGCMSOur methods of sample processing and analysisSize anddesiccation and wet oxidation300 mVisual microscopy+FTIRsize fraction dependent analysis50-100&100-300 mFTIR microscopy5-
6、50 mFlow Cytometry+pyGCMSOur methods of sample processing and analysisSize andSampled 4 locations in Aug 2020 and May 2021,collecting samples in the water column using the McLane pump off the end of the R/V Blue Heron100-300 m:FTIR microscopy300 m:visual microscopyOur Major Findings Microplastics th