Microplastic Research

There were two objectives of my study. The first was to test for the prevalence of microplastic pollution within two waterways in Westchester County, New York. A graduated filter column was constructed to strain particulates from water samples obtained at a local wastewater treatment plant and an environmentally protected reservoir within the New York City watershed. The second goal was to design a low-cost, high-efficiency microplastic removal device based on the principles of hydrodynamics, the study of fluid in motion. A spiral channel system was constructed in order to separate a primary, pollutant test stream into distinct clean and particulate secondary streams. 

COMPETITION POSTER

SAMPLING AT a WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

My initial testing occurred at a wastewater treatment plant in Westchester County, NY.

SAMPLING AT a protected RESERVOIR

Subsequent testing occurred at an environmentally-protected reservoir in Westchester County, NY.

macroplastic & microplastic samples

The above are some of the 54 samples that were found in my study.