Master’s Thesis lab workflow generating labeled microplastic observations
Conducted soil microplastic sample processing and optical/spectroscopic quantification to generate labeled observations for polymer type and microplastic presence. The work included extracting microplastics, separating fractions by density, and recording microscope-based counts and FTIR-based polymer identifications. These measurements were then compiled into a distribution dataset for watershed analysis. • Performed digestion and density separation for microplastic extraction • Used microscopy to quantify and identify microplastics • Applied FTIR to analyze and categorize microplastic polymers • Created a database documenting soil microplastic distribution across land uses and the watershed