Environmental & Life Sciences Ph.D. candidate Brittany Welsh is deep-diving into the lifecycle of microplastics in lake catchments. In a recent study, she has uncovered the lifecycle of microplastics in lakes, showing the particles don’t just pass through lakes on their way to marine environments. 

“We currently thought that microplastics just passed through rivers and lakes on their way to the ocean, but my research actually shows that microplastics can stay in lakes for up to a decade, sometimes even longer,” said Brittany. 

This research builds on Brittany’s contributions to a novel international study published last year that showed freshwater bodies and lakes are not immune to microplastic pollution, some having higher concentrations of microplastic pollution than marine environments.  

Her work alongside School of Environment professor Dr. Julian Aherne is expanding our understanding of the pervasive threat that plastic particles pose to our ecosystems and helping to inform policies that could reduce emissions and improve management of plastic waste.  

Watch the video to learn more about the study and Brittany’s findings.