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Bristol, R.I. – As plastic pollution continues to threaten marine ecosystems across the globe, two researchers from ɫ����̳ (RWU) are working to better understand how microplastics move through and affect Rhode Island’s environment. Professors Lillian Jeznach and Stephen O’Shea are spearheading complementary engineering and science projects that investigate freshwater, atmospheric, and saltwater sediment-based microplastic pollution in Narragansett Bay and its surrounding watersheds.

Jeznach and O’Shea are contributing to a multi-institutional Rhode Island-based project called Socio-ecological Impacts of Microplastics in Coastal Ecosystems (SIMCoast), led by the University of Rhode Island. The initiative was awarded a $7 million grant under the Research Incubators for STEM Excellence (E-RISE) program by the . 

As part of this collaboration, ɫ����̳ will receive $600,000 over the next four years. These funds will support faculty-led microplastics research and include six undergraduate researchers each year. Further supporting their research efforts, Jeznach and O’Shea will soon be conducting their work in a new, interdisciplinary Environmental Science and Engineering  Laboratory on ɫ����̳ Bristol campus, thanks to an earmark sponsored by Rhode Island U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D) to equip the lab with cutting-edge equipment.

“Microplastics are a macro-problem. We need comprehensive, coordinated action to help protect people, communities, and public and environmental health.” said Sen. Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.  “Developing a better understanding of microplastics is not a partisan issue – it’s a public health, economic, and environmental imperative.  I’m proud of the top-notch work Rhode Island scientists are doing and will continue fighting to support their work with federal research investments.”

This latest NSF grant also complements infrastructure funding that RWU and partner institutions received last year from an $8 million EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems (E-CORE) grant supporting the RI Network for Excellence in Science & Technology (RI-NEST), through which RWU is responsible for leading undergraduate research fellowships supporting the Blue Economy.

"A major component of the grant will support workforce development through student educational opportunities,” said Stephen O’Shea, Professor of Chemistry at RWU. "Both Lily Jeznach and I will have three students each summer semester working in paid research positions and covering their housing costs. This is a very student-driven research project, where we will also offer volunteer opportunities for students to get involved in the research.”

“It gives students hands-on training in environmental monitoring while contributing to real-world science that matters here in Rhode Island,” said Lillian Jeznach, Associate Professor of Engineering at RWU. “The long-term goal is to create a statewide, open-access database of microplastic data to guide policy and community action.”

Jeznach is in the midst of a long-term study of freshwater and atmospheric microplastics, a lesser-studied but essential piece of the plastic pollution puzzle. Her research addresses a major gap in understanding how inland rivers and atmospheric fallout contribute to pollution in Narragansett Bay. Jeznach’s team is collecting freshwater samples from three major river systems in Rhode Island and atmospheric samples from Bristol and Providence.

Meanwhile, O’Shea is leading a high-tech analysis of microplastics already present in bay sediment and bay tributaries. Using advanced Raman microscopic dispersion spectroscopy, O’Shea's team can identify the types and sizes of plastic particles with extreme precision. They're using RWU marine vessels to conduct surveys in both deep and shallow waters, complemented by sediment core sampling to assess historical trends in plastic deposition.

“This work gives our students exposure to techniques they won’t see in a typical undergraduate lab – and prepares them for careers in environmental chemistry, materials science, and marine research,” O’Shea said. Undergraduate researchers will not only collect and process samples but will also present their findings at regional and national scientific conferences.

Together, Jeznach and O’Shea’s projects form a powerful one-two punch: capturing how plastics enter Narragansett Bay and identifying what happens once they’re there. Their efforts support broader state and federal initiatives to reduce marine debris and improve coastal resilience, while placing ɫ����̳ at the forefront of microplastics research in the Northeast.