McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Irene Gregory-Eaves
Nathalie Tufenkji, McGill University
Start: 2023-09-01
End: 2027-08-31

Project

Micro- and nanoplastics and their impacts on aquatic systems
Plastic pollution is a persistent and growing global issue. The breakdown of plastic pieces into smaller plastic particles such as micro- and nanoplastics has only exacerbated this issue as it increases the bioavailability of these pollutants. Additionally, recent shifts in agricultural practices have led to increased usage of plastic materials within the industry and contributing to the global plastic burden across ecosystems. Plastic mulch — films of polyethylene used to cover crop rows to control weed growth and maintain soil microclimates — represents a major source of plastics from agricultural fields. These plastics present a growing concern in Quebec where UV exposure, physical abrasion and freeze-thaw cycles are commonplace for much of the year. These processes can degrade plastic mulch and release plastic mulch byproducts (PMBs) in the form of micro- and nanoplastics as well as chemical leachates. Released PMBs have the potential to migrate to the groundwater or be transported into freshwater systems via runoff and negatively impact local aquatic communities. The impacts of plastic mulch byproducts are largely unknown and this project’s overall goal is to elucidate their consequences on aquatic organisms and communities. This research aims to address these three objectives: (1) To determine what is currently known and unknown about the impacts of PMBs on aquatic organisms; (2) To experimentally determine the effects of PMBs on natural and controlled planktonic communities and; (3) To quantify the level of plastic contamination in previously understudied natural environments. The results of my research would provide valuable information on the consequences of the pervasive use of plastic mulch and it has the potential to change the cost and benefit analysis for using agricultural plastic mulch not only in Quebec but globally.

Keywords

Plastic, microplastic, nanoplastic, ecotoxicology, Mesocosm, microcosm, plastic mulch, agricultural plastic, phytoplankton, algae, zooplankton, limnology

Publications

1- Microplastic and other anthropogenic microparticles in water and sediments of Lake Simcoe
Felismino, Miguel Eduardo L., Paul A. Helm, Chelsea M. Rochman
2021 Journal of Great Lakes Research

2- Sex and background risk influence responses to acute predation risk in Trinidadian guppies
Brusseau, Alix J P, Laurence E A Feyten, Veronica Groves, Miguel Eduardo L Felismino, Denis Cao Van Truong, Adam L Crane, Indar W Ramnarine, Grant E Brown,
2023 Behavioral Ecology