Accumulation and transformation of micro- and nano-plastics within the sea surface microlayer

海面微层内微纳米塑料的积累与转化

• 批准号: 2002751
• 负责人: Geoffrey Bothun
• 金额: $ 42.32万
• 依托单位: University of Rhode Island
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-08-01 至 2025-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2002751&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Accumulation; transformation; micro; nano; plastics

Microplastic and nano plastic particles enter the environment directly through consumer personal care products and are formed in the environment as commercial products such as plastic packaging weather and degrade. Oceans and coastal ecosystems are major sinks for plastic pollution. Plastics have been shown to accumulate in and negatively impact the health of marine life, which in turn places added stress on ecosystems as well as marine industries reliant on the health of these ecosystems. The ultimate fate and adverse impacts of these small plastic particles depends on how they interact and are transported in nature. A critical natural component of oceans and a point of initial exposure to plastic pollution are sea surface microlayers, which are ubiquitous globally and are comprised of natural molecules, particulate matter, and microorganisms. These microlayers act as an “ocean skin” that influences the exchange of mass and heat between the seawater and the atmosphere. They are also sites for microplastic and nano plastic accumulation. This project will study how microplastics and nano plastics interact with model sea surface microlayers, how these interactions cause them to accumulate and transform at the sea surface, and to what extent microplastics and nano plastics will alter the properties of sea surface microlayers. The goal is to provide fundamental insight into interfacial and colloidal properties leading to microplastic and nano plastic accumulation that can contribute broadly to determining environmental risks of plastic pollution and to devising strategies for remediation. Participation will be broadened by partnering with the Northeast NSF Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program to provide research experiences to two supported underrepresented students. These students will also lead a new middle school outreach activity. Sea surface microlayers, which range from 1 to 1000 micrometers thick, are ubiquitous globally on ocean and coastal waters, regulating the exchange of mass and energy between these waters and the atmosphere. Sea surface microlayers are also a site of accumulation for heavy metal, organic, and particulate pollutants including micro- and nano-plastics. This project is motivated by the following needs: Representative and commercially relevant micro- and nano-plastics enabling laboratory studies, suitable microlayer systems that are broadly applicable and enable actionable results relating to fate, transport, and nanoscale interactions, and microscopy techniques needed to characterize sea surface microlayers containing particulate matter. Well-characterized and size-fractionated model micro- and nano-plastics will be created by mechanical and UV degradation (Aim 1). Phytoplankton sea surface microlayers will be prepared in a modified Langmuir trough (Aim 2) and used to quantify the accumulation and transformation of micro- and nano-plastics as a function of their physical properties and composition (Aim 3). To realize the broader impact of the project to education, outreach, and diversity and inclusion, underrepresented students will be engaged in research activities and a new middle-school outreach initiative will be created. Marine plastics provide a versatile and timely platform to engage students in STEM activities. The transformative aspects of this work derive from the limited understanding of the role of the sea surface microlayers in micro- and nano-plastic accumulation and include identifying currently unknown mechanisms of interaction and transformation, demonstrating the ability to utilize complex field samples to study micro- and nano-particle interactions with bio-environmental interfaces, and creating a new experimental framework that can be broadly applied to different ocean and coastal regions. Participation will be broadened by partnering with the Northeast NSF Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program to provide research experiences to two supported underrepresented students. These students will also lead a new middle school outreach activity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

微型塑料和纳米塑料颗粒直接通过消费者个人护理产品进入环境，并在环境中形成，例如塑料包装天气和降解等商业产品。海洋和沿海生态系统是塑料污染的主要水槽。塑料已被证明会积累并对海洋生物的健康产生负面影响，这反过来又增加了对生态系统以及依赖这些生态系统健康的海洋工业的压力。这些小塑料颗粒的最终命运和不利影响取决于它们在自然界中的相互作用和运输方式。海洋表面的微层层是海洋表面污染的一个关键自然成分和最初暴露于塑料污染的点，它们在全球范围内无处不在，包括天然分子，颗粒物和微生物。这些微层层充当“海洋皮肤”，影响海水和大气之间的质量和热量的交换。它们也是微型塑料和纳米塑料积累的位置。该项目将研究微塑料和纳米塑料如何与模型的海面微层层相互作用，这些相互作用如何导致它们丙烯酸和在海面转化，以及在何种程度上，微塑料和纳米塑料会改变海面微层层的特性。目的是提供对互动性和胶体特性的基本见解，从而导致微型和纳米塑料积累，这可以广泛地确定塑料污染的环境风险并制定修复策略。通过与东北NSF路易斯·斯托克斯联盟（Louis Stokes）联盟为少数族裔参与计划，将扩大参与，以向两名受支持的人数不足的学生提供研究经验。这些学生还将领导新的中学外展活动。海面微层层的厚度从1到1000微米，在海洋和沿海水域上无处不在，控制着这些水和大气之间的质量和能量的交换。海面微层层也是重金属，有机和特定污染物（包括微塑料和纳米塑料）的积累部位。该项目是由以下需求激励的：代表性和商业相关的微型和纳米塑料，使实验室研究能够实验室研究，合适的微层系统，这些系统非常适用且启用了与命运，运输和纳米级相互作用以及微观互动以及所需的可行的结果，以及用于表征含有特定特定问题的海面微层的显微镜技术。机械和紫外线降解将创建良好的特征和尺寸分级模型微型和纳米塑料（AIM 1）。浮游植物海面微层层将在修改后的Langmuir麻烦中制备（AIM 2），并用于量化微型和纳米层状的积累和转化，这是其物理特性和组成的函数（AIM 3）。为了实现该项目对教育，外展以及多样性和包容性的更广泛的影响，将会创建一项新的中学外展计划。海洋塑料提供了一个多功能，及时的平台，使学生参与STEM活动。这项工作的变革性方面来自对海面微层层在微型和纳米塑料积累中的作用的有限理解，包括识别当前未知的相互作用和转化机制，证明了使用复杂的田地样品来研究与生物环境相互作用的相互作用和沿海地区的相互作用，从而与新的界面相互作用，从而创建了一个新型的界面，从而创建了一个新的实验，并可以进行新的框架和范围。通过与东北NSF路易斯·斯托克斯联盟（Louis Stokes）联盟为少数族裔参与计划，将扩大参与，以向两名受支持的人数不足的学生提供研究经验。这些学生还将领导一项新的中学外展活动。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准来评估，被认为是宝贵的支持。