Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper: Studies Highlight Reality Of Microplastics In Region's Waterways

By John Zakransky, Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper

In 2019, as Susquehanna University professor Jennifer Elick transported her class to a wastewater treatment facility tour and water sampling opportunity in eastern Snyder County, one of her students started feeling sick.

“I dropped her off at the local laundromat with some fleece blankets and had her run them through the wash cycle,” Elick said. “Every 10 minutes, she took a sample of the washer’s water.”

Meanwhile, Elick and the rest of her students proceeded to the treatment facility and took samples of both the influent water and effluent discharge before taking all the samples back to the classroom for testing.

“In the collected laundry water samples, after they filtered out the water, not only was it full of dirt, but also tiny strands and filaments from the blankets,” said Elick. “They were very colorful blankets, so the students were better able to see the microplastic filaments.”

The water taken both before and after the treatment facility’s cleaning process also discovered a high number of microplastic particles.

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[Posted: March 30, 2021]  PA Environment Digest.