Mr Joseph Onoja Ogbe

Research project: Characterization of urban heavy metal pollution from microplastics (MPs)

Abstract

Microlastics are fragments with distinct size less than 5mm from a broken down large pieces of plastics. It has become a global health concern due to their omnipresence in the environment with unidentified hazards to organisms. Their inert nature have resulted to their accumulation in the environment, and have been studied to be carriers for heavy metals. Microplastics exhibit various interactive outcomes, although, these interactions are not well known, particularly the mechanisms behind these reactions and the risk the organisms are exposed to.

This study will prompt the possibility of diverse publishable projects. Possible projects from this research includes but not limited to;

• Demonstrate whether these measure of pollution is hazardous to public health
• Assess the presence of heavy metals from plastics and vehicular emission

Moreover, this analysis will aid knowledge of the sources, routes, and ecological risks of MPs and heavy metals.