The microfibers that we'll use

Apr 18, 2017

The microfibers that we'll useHere a nice picture of our "home-made" micro plastic fibers that we'll use in the experiment. We have been cutting them with a cryo-microtome with the help of. prof. Bellani, from the University of Siena, following the protocol by Cole (2016), Scientific Reports (Cole, 2016). They look pretty nice! They are made of polyester, standard grade. We made a few millions of them...at the end of the experiment we'll study the metals on the fibers too, to see how metals and biofilm adsorb to plastic surfaces. We'll dispose them properly, do not worry! 

1. Cole, M. 2016. A novel method for preparing micro plastic fibers. Scientific Reports 6, Article number: 34519, doi:10.1038/srep34519

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Andrés Cózar Cabañas

Great work! Luisa

Apr 18, 20170

Luisa GalganiResearcher

thank you so much and for your endorsement too! Hope you are doing fine and thanks for the support!

Apr 18, 20170

About This Project

Do microplastics on our ocean's surface have an effect on climate change?

University of Siena, Italy

Our oceans are full of microplastics with potentially massive impacts on our marine environments. This research focuses on an unsuspected effect: do microplastics influence climate change? Our laboratory results suggest that microplastics may modify the microbial dynamics of carbon and oxygen. We want to further explore it in mesocosms, where large volumes of enclosed seawater can be examined under controlled and simulated conditions, like a “future” plastic ocean.