The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University

Published purpose

Microplastic pollution is adversely affecting the Canadian aquatic systems. Yet, the lack of physicochemical processes precludes scientists to accurately forecast the fate of microplastics in the Earth’s ecosystem. This three-year Project aims at understanding selected physicochemical transformation of microplastic particles (e.g., sedimentation velocity and aggregation), in Canadian aquatic systems. McGill’s research team will perform experiments in stationary and dynamic manners to mimic rivers. This Project strives to track microplastics and nano plastics particles individually and in groups, in Canadian waters, using two McGill innovations, for specific river water setting developed at NRC, in close collaboration with Dr. Pilechi at NRC. Using deep-learning and automation, this Project strives to further improve two technologies to perform in-situ and real-time measurement of both high-density and low-density microplastics at trace levels in water. Through NRC-McGill collaboration, this Project translates the academic innovations into governmental modelling to develop sound policy based on sound science, specifically NRC’s Ocean program.