Microplastics Found in Detritivores at Different Freshwater and Saltwater Locations

Plastic is made up of many polymers linked together to withstand extreme temperatures and cannot easily be broken down like other waste. Plastic will never effectively disappear, but will only get smaller through time. Plastic gets smaller by natural processes such as degradation by UV light. The UV light from the sun will break the bonds between polymers, resulting in smaller pieces of plastic. This research project will expand and strengthen previously acquired information regarding the amount of microplastics in freshwater and marine organisms. This project will focus on whether location affects the amount of microplastics found in freshwater and marine species. If the amounts of microplastics ingested at different locations are similar in the same species, the data will suggest that microplastics can be found in most water systems and may be more common than we thought.