Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Current efforts in the field of microplastic (MP) pollution, particularly micro and nanoplastic, are directed to characterize smaller and smaller particles. Far from simply being a race to the bottom, the effort to look for smaller particles stems from the need to understand how they might affect the environment and living organisms. Recent findings have highlighted those plastic particles, particularly the smallest fractions, can be transported over long distances by geochemical cycling processes, sourced from both land, aquatic and ocean surfaces. Particles with sizes less than 2.5 microns (µm) affect both the environment and biota, representing a risk to human health which extent is currently unknown. Techniques to quantify and characterize plastic particles down to <2.5 µm have been developed using micro-Raman (µ-Raman) laser spectroscopy. Canada, however, lacks capacity with these instruments required for this work, both in academia and in federal institutions. Funds are requested to acquire a µ-Raman spectrometer capable of characterizing the molecular fingerprint of plastic particles with sizes of less than 2.5 µm. The µ-Raman will require a 785 nm wavelength laser to support MP particle analysis above plastic fluorescence wavelengths and to support analysis at the cutting edge of MP methodology - specifically looking down to 1 µm particles in environmental matrices. This laser is also suitable for an array of mineral, engineered material and pharmaceutical analysis. The automated stage and autofocus within the spectrometer's microscope will support multipoint particle analysis (increasing the efficiency and sampling accuracy) and support unbiased analysis of complex environmental matrices (removing user bias by automating sample point analytics). The µ-Raman will serve academic and federal institutions in Atlantic Canada, and beyond, currently investigating the distribution of MP in the environment (air, sediments, soils, terrestrial and ocean waters and biota) as well as in food and drinking water. The new instrument and dedicated laboratory space will be also essential for developing new hands on interdisciplinary highly qualified personnel (HQP) training capacity at Dalhousie with students from different disciplines, including Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science (Faculty of Science), School for Resource and Environmental Studies (Faculty of Science), and Department of Civil and Resource Engineering (Faculty of Engineering) as well as staff from Federal agencies, such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). HQP training will be crucial for ongoing MPs research at Dalhousie and across the region and will mirror my HQP training from the past 8 years. I have supervised 128 HQP, including 9 postdocs, 6 PhD, 28 MES, 4 MAS, 10 research assistants, 59 MREM, 8 MMM, and 4 BSc honours students.