The impact of plastics on aquatic systems is big news and of major concern these days.

Microplastics (or plastic particles that are smaller than 5 mm) have also been acknowledged as a truly ubiquitous contaminant in recent years, even showing up in our food. Studies demonstrating the presence of microplastics in freshwater rivers, lakes and in atmospheric deposition have shown that microplastics don’t just affect oceans, and therefore need to be researched in freshwater environments.

 

In 2019, researchers are monitoring a remote lake (Lake 378) for microplastics—all with the ultimate goal of manipulating a lake in a few years to discover how the lake and its inhabitants respond to microplastics.

 

Click here to read a short blog post about the threat that microplastics pose to our environment.

Current project details [1]

Full title: The pELAstic project

 

Project dates: 2018-2030

 

Lead scientist(s): Diane Orihel, Michael Paterson, Michael Rennie, Chelsea Rochman

 

Experimental lake(s): 378

 

Related topic(s): Plastics

 

Collaborators: University of Toronto, Lakehead University, Queen’s University

 

Learn more by clicking here

Current project details [2]

Full title: Macroplastics – The influence of plastic pollution on fish behaviour in freshwater boreal lakes

 

Project dates: 2024-

 

Lead scientist(s): Michael Paterson 

 

Experimental lake(s): 302

 

Related topic(s): Plastics

 

Collaborators: University of Toronto

 

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