DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF A FLOCCULANT OR SURFACTANT ON MICROPLASTIC RECOVERY

Microplastics are defined as either synthetic solid particles or polymers smaller than five millimeters. These particles are insoluble in water, which allows them to accumulate in water sources. Their size allows them to be ingested by wildlife such as fish and other food sources that leads to bioaccumulation up the food chain. Additionally, microplastics can act as vectors to heavy metals, increasing the concentration of these toxins in those exposed. This project is a preliminary investigation into the effects of adding a flocculant or surfactants (aluminum sulfate, Tween 80, or Span 80) on microplastic recovery and removal from water samples. A standardized mixture of the most common commercially used plastics has been developed for this project. This mixture underwent a separation protocol that was previously developed to determine effect on the recovery rate and ease of identification of microplastics in an aqueous sample.