The University of British Columbia

Purpose

The Project combines field sampling over two years in the Fraser River and the Strait of Georgia along with the Recipient and the NRC developing numerical models at different scales to understand microplastics fate from source to sinks in these water systems. Standard protocols will be developed for sampling along with methods for analysis of microplastics in aquatic environments. The sampling data will establish a database for microplastic lateral and vertical distribution and their temporal evolution. Microplastic hotspots will be identified. The field sampling results will feed into numerical simulations tracking microplastic particles in realistic flow fields and will also provide data for validating the numerical model assumptions. The numerical tools will be used in a complementary way to predict the fate of microplastics under realistic scenarios. The field and simulated data will contribute to creating a decision support system for informing policy makers and environmental organizations.