Detecting Microplastics in Soil and Sediment in an Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory Experiment That Promotes Skill Building and Encourages Environmental Awareness

Rowe, Laura; Kubalewski, Maria; Clark, Robert Emmet; Statza, Emily; Goyne, Thomas; Leach, Katie; Peller, Julie

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00392

Cited by 17 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…I chose to require all the experiments for the remainder of my course to be inquiry-based as we moved to remote learning. It has been previously shown that inquiry-based environmental sampling and analysis laboratory experiments have been successful in not only keeping the students’ engagement higher, but that they can also increase the students’ understanding of the connection between science and everyday life . I found similar results during our shift online, as many students utilized their knowledge of their environment (i.e., limestone quarries, waterfalls) to guide their projects based on their own personal observations and interests.…”

Section: Concluding Thoughtssupporting

confidence: 58%

Converting an Environmental Sampling Methods Lecture/Laboratory Course into an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experience during the Transition to Distance Learning

Mirowsky

2020

J. Chem. Educ.

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In mid-March 2020, due to the novel coronavirus, my 300-level Environmental Sampling Methods lecture/laboratory course transitioned to distance learning. After this move, the primary focus of the course became the laboratory. To do this, I revised my three remaining laboratory exercises (i.e., water quality, soil quality, environmental microbes) and created two new ones (i.e., toxicology, ultraviolet radiation). For the students to complete the experiments, I shipped low-cost equipment and supplies to them; this shipment included Petri plates and sampling swabs, sterile water, a pH meter and associated calibration powders, a total dissolved solids meter, clay and sand samples, conical tubes, sampling baggies, cyanotype printing paper, and lettuce seeds. I justified this shift toward being primarily laboratory-focused by requiring all the experiments to become inquiry-based, increasing the rigor of the experiments but also keeping the students engaged by allowing them to design their own projects. To keep a sense of community within the class, discussion boards were utilized. To ensure a safe environment at home, each project required preapproval. The discussion below focuses on the details of how the course was modified, how the course was managed, some of the pitfalls I encountered, and how the students exceeded my expectations with the projects they created.

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Section: Concluding Thoughtssupporting

confidence: 58%

Converting an Environmental Sampling Methods Lecture/Laboratory Course into an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experience during the Transition to Distance Learning

Mirowsky

2020

J. Chem. Educ.

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“…Many of the issues associated with these differing approaches are discussed, but it can be argued that other aspects should also be considered in establishing a single methodology. One of the benefits of microplastics study is that the topic is quickly understandable for most people and can be the focus both for specialized research as well as practically applied by students (Rowe et al 2019). This may be lost to some degree once a particular methodology is established since some of equipment being developed or employed in a microplastic study can easily be outside the financial capability of some groups.…”

Section: Methodology Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in Soils and Sediment: Sources, Methodologies, and Interactions with Microorganisms

Peller¹,

McCool²,

Watters³

2020

Handbook of Microplastics in the Environment

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The massive scope of plastic and microplastic pollution in soils and sediments requires broad and thorough studies to understand details of the extent and effects of these persistent pollutants. Plastic particulate pollutants in the environment are subjected to natural processes, fragment over time into smaller pieces, and influence the surrounding biota. Land environments, from open fields to agricultural fields to watersheds and deep ocean sediment, have been subjected to plastics/microplastics from a variety of sources and via natural and anthropogenic transport for many years. A number of different sampling, processing, and detection methods have been used to identify and quantify the loads of microplastics in soils and sediments. Scientific studies are still lacking systematic, standardized protocols, which will allow for accurate comparisons and compilations of data from around the world. This review chapter highlights many studies published over the past several years on land environments affected by

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“…For example, Rowe and co-workers recently reported a multi-week research project tasking first-year students with investigating the presence of microplastics in soil and sediment. [20] A postlaboratory survey indicated that this experience increased student awareness of scientific research, microplastic pollution, and the potential impact on the environment, thereby aligning with TLO 1. In addition, this endeavour had a positive impact on the chemistry-specific learning outcomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…[21] Through direct observation and student interviews, the authors found similar learning benefits to those described by Rowe and co-workers. [20] While we have provided some specific examples in the area of chemistry, there are few published examples reported. Furthermore, concerns have been raised over ethical considerations for citizen science.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student-Focussed Approaches that can Enhance Understanding and Appreciation of Research in the Chemical Sciences

Constable

Bissember²,

Pullen³

2021

Aust. J. Chem.

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The alignment of intended learning outcomes for chemistry graduates and the actualised outcomes has been called into question recently. Opportunities to address this lie in the integration of undergraduate learning experiences in which students develop real-world skills and engage with problems that they may encounter as graduates in contemporary workplaces or modern society more broadly. This Highlight article provides an overview of three such approaches, including offering students authentic research experiences within (or outside of) normal degree programs, engaging students in citizen science projects, and considering curriculum reforms to better align with a systems thinking framework. Where possible, we provide explicit examples grounded in the Australian context, accompanied by some thoughts on the challenges that may be encountered when implementing these approaches in practice.

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Detecting Microplastics in Soil and Sediment in an Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory Experiment That Promotes Skill Building and Encourages Environmental Awareness

Cited by 17 publications

References 33 publications

Converting an Environmental Sampling Methods Lecture/Laboratory Course into an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experience during the Transition to Distance Learning

Converting an Environmental Sampling Methods Lecture/Laboratory Course into an Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experience during the Transition to Distance Learning

Microplastics in Soils and Sediment: Sources, Methodologies, and Interactions with Microorganisms

Student-Focussed Approaches that can Enhance Understanding and Appreciation of Research in the Chemical Sciences

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