Professor Sarah Cadieux (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

Thursday, February 20 | 2:30PM ET | Online and Open to the Public

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, with over 11 billion metric tons of plastic projected to accumulate in the environment by 2025. The presence of microplastics has been reported in air samples and drinking water with the human health effects of ingestion and inhalation remaining in question, however animal studies suggest particle toxicity, leaching of chemicals, and potential microbial hazards.

The Tomhannock Reservoir in Pittstown, NY is the drinking water source for Troy, NY, and a subwatershed of the Hudson River. In the summer of 2023, 60 water samples were collected from the tributaries, reservoir, and taps throughout Troy. All samples contained microplastics and concentrations varied considerably from location-to-location and over the summer.

Professor Cadieux will present on microplastics research in Troy, NY that integrated collaboration between researchers and community science educators that includes community members, local high school students and undergraduate students in field and laboratory work. Microplastics research addresses well-established community concerns around drinking water contamination, illegal dumping, and contamination of local waterways. Through partnerships with NATURE Lab and The Sanctuary for Independent Media’s existing relationships and media platforms, research processes and results can be communicated back to local community and discusses and analyzed.

This event is part of 2025 Spring Seminar Series: Applied Water Research in New York State hosted by the New York State Water Resources Institute. The series runs on Thursdays from 2:30 - 3:30PM ET from January 23 - March 6, 2025.

The work presented was prepared for the NYS Water Resources Institute at Cornell University and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, with support from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund.