Open AccessSnapshot picture of microplastic pollution in Halifax Regional Municipality
Author(s) -
Rebecca Teddiman
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the nova scotian institute of science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2292-7743
pISSN - 0078-2521
DOI - 10.15273/pnsis.v51i1.10740
Subject(s) - microplastics , nova scotia , pollution , environmental science , plastic pollution , biodiversity , marine debris , fauna , geography , environmental protection , ecology , biology , archaeology , meteorology , debris
Microplastic pollution is a pervasive problem. Many species have been found to ingest microplastics and this poses a risk to biodiversity (Fauna and Flora International, 2013). In Nova Scotia, there are few quantitative data on microplastic pollution. As quantifying microplastic pollution has only recently attained attention in Nova Scotia, no standardized methods for collection and analysis have been established. This project, although limited in scope, identified and quantified microplastic pollution on McNabs Island and Lake Banook beaches using established sampling and processing methods. The samples were evaluated using a combination of density separation, microscopic identification and RamanTM spectroscopy. This provided information to compare with other research. Keywords: Biodiversity, Microplastic Filtration SystemTM, Microplastic pollution, Nova Scotia