Author(s): Cristina Martinez
Mentor(s): Christina Pondell, Alex Tye
Institution UTech
Microplastics have become a pervasive environmental contaminant, and understanding their distribution in relation to human activity is critical for evaluating their impact on ecosystems and human health. Their presence in natural environments, especially in protected areas, raises concerns about long-term ecological effects and the potential risks to both wildlife and people. Identifying sources and pathways of contamination is essential for mitigating their spread and developing effective management strategies. This research examines the link between human activity and microplastic pollution by analyzing 39 samples from four distinct sites within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. The locations studied include areas with high hikers' presence, such as trails and parking lots (‘Front Country’), roads (‘Passage’), regions with automobiles and undeveloped land (‘Outback’), as well as more isolated, remote areas (‘Primitive’). Given the higher likelihood of microplastic presence near human infrastructure and activity, we hypothesized that samples from roads and their proximity would show higher concentrations of microplastics compared to remote locations. The methodology involved several steps to extract microplastics. First, samples were air-dried and sieved to sort particles by size. Organic matter was removed, and density separation was done using a salt solution. Microplastics were then stained for easier detection under a microscope, and the final step involved filtering the samples and staining them with Nile Red and then were analyzed under blue light to quantify the microplastics. Preliminary results suggest a higher abundance and diversity of microplastics in road-adjacent samples, with a marked decrease in remote areas. These findings underscore the influence of human activity on microplastic pollution, with roads serving as significant vectors for microplastic distribution. Regional managers will use the data for further regulations and policies for the park conservation, potentially guiding efforts to reduce microplastic contamination and protect sensitive ecosystems.