Doctoral Dissertation Research: Stratigraphic records of microplastic pollution in coastal and wetland sediments

本博士论文研究滨海湿地沉积物中微塑料的地层分布和丰度。海岸沉积物被认为是一个重要的微塑料“下沉”，但很少有关于表层以下的微塑料的研究完成。此外，这项研究还调查了飓风对海岸沉积物中微塑性迁移和埋藏的影响。由于海洋和沿海环境中的塑料已被归类为直接由人类活动造成的全球性问题，因此了解沿海沉积物中微塑料的沉积速率极其重要。这项研究的数据可以为制定关于塑料污染的环境政策提供信息，对敏感的沿海社区的健康产生积极的影响。调查海岸沉积物中微塑料的地层特征是一个新兴的研究领域，有助于更好地了解环境污染和估计微塑料的丰度。该项目包括实地数据收集，以便为环境建模提供信息，从而产生大规模估计。这项研究将调查(1)自1950年CE首次广泛使用以来，微塑料的沉积速率是否随着产量的增加而增加，(2)深于地表的沉积物是否是微塑料的重要下沉，以及(3)飓风在微塑料的传输和沉积中所起的作用。这些主题将使用沉积学、地球化学学和微古生物学技术来解决，从而全面了解沿海沉积物中微塑料的流行情况。这项研究收集的数据和得出的结论对政策制定者和其他负责解决自然界微塑料污染问题的利益相关者具有价值。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This doctoral dissertation project investigates the stratigraphic distribution and abundance of microplastic in the sediments of coastal wetlands. Coastal sediments have been surmised to be a significant microplastic “sink,” but few studies have been completed on microplastic below the surface layer. Additionally, this study investigates the impacts of hurricanes on microplastic transport and burial in coastal sediments. Understanding the deposition rates of microplastic in coastal sediments is extremely important as plastic in the marine and coastal environment has been categorized as a global problem directly resulting from human activities. Data from this study can inform environmental policy-making on plastic pollution, positively influencing the health of sensitive coastal communities.Investigating the stratigraphic signature of microplastic in coastal sediments is an emerging field of study and contributes to a better understanding of environmental pollution and estimates of microplastic abundance. This project includes field-based data collection to inform environmental modeling to produce large-scale estimates. This research will investigate (1) if rates of microplastic deposition since their initial widespread use in 1950 CE increased in line with increased production, (2) whether sediment deeper than the surface is a significant sink of microplastic, and (3) the role hurricanes play in the transport and deposition of microplastic. These topics will be addressed using sedimentological, geochemical, and micropaleontological techniques producing a full view of the prevalence of microplastic in coastal sediments. Data gathered and conclusions made from this study are of value to policy makers and other stakeholders tasked with addressing microplastic pollution in the natural world.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.