Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Mincer, Tracy

Abstract

Sediments are the ultimate resting place of plastics in the ocean, providing information on plastics that have escaped from the waste stream through freshwater input, marinas, and agricultural runoff. Sediment samples taken as part of a previous study in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, may shed light on the speculation of microplastics in this environment. These samples were taken in four seasons (2 wet and 2 dry) during 2016, 2017, and 2018 in Harbor Branch, Jensen Beach, Fort Pierce, and Vero Beach. Plastic particles were extracted from the sediments with >95% efficiency through density separation, filtration, and scanned using infrared spectroscopy. Analysis identified plastics as small as 30 μm, the most common polymers individuated being ~100μm. A preliminary overview of the study has revealed the presence of microplastics in the majority of the sediments analyzed. Future in depth analysies of these samples is planned to determine the polymers present.

Comments

Thesis (B.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2022

Extent

27 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00230

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