Urban waterways provide important ecological and recreational benefits but are increasingly impacted by plastic pollution and contaminant runoff. Onondaga Creek, a major tributary of Onondaga Lake flowing through Syracuse, NY, contains substantial plastic debris associated with historical dumping and ongoing urban inputs. As these materials fragment into microplastics (MPs), they can accumulate heavy metals from surrounding waters while also containing metals incorporated during manufacturing. Conventional analytical methods measure only total metal content, making it difficult to distinguish between manufacturing-origin and environmentally adsorbed metals. Without resolving these competing sources, water managers cannot accurately assess risks or identify effective mitigation strategies.
This project will generate the first comprehensive assessment of MP pollution and associated metals in Onondaga Creek. Seasonal water and sediment samples will be collected from five sites to quantify MP abundance, morphology, and polymer composition using microscopy and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Dominant polymer types will then be deployed in controlled in situ exposure experiments to evaluate metal accumulation under real creek conditions. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) depth profiling and sequential chemical extractions will be used to distinguish manufacturing-origin metals from environmentally adsorbed metals and assess their bioavailability.
Results will provide baseline data on MP contamination, quantify MP-metal dynamics, and identify how polymer type, particle size, and season influence metal loading and bioavailability. Developed in partnership with local watershed stewards, this work will support evidence-based management of Onondaga Creek while advancing understanding of microplastic-metal interactions in urban freshwater ecosystems.