Leonardo Vardanega
Research Mentor: Jillian Myers
Mentor Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, LSA
Author(s): , Leonardo Vardanega , Leon Li, Macy Arnett, Jillian Myers
Session: Session 6 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 94
Abstract
The large amount of plastic waste produced by research laboratories contributes to the pollution of the environment. One way that plastics cause harm to the environment and ecosystems is by breaking down into microplastics, which readily bioaccumulate and disrupt biological processes and cycles. Single-use pipette tips are a part of the plastic waste produced by research laboratories. Washing these tips and reusing them is one way to mitigate plastic lab waste, but it is critical to ensure that this process does not result in the generation of microplastics. In this study, we use scanning electron microscopy to evaluate how washing protocols of plastic pipette tips affect plastic surface integrity. The washing protocols consist of washes with 2% bleach solution, sodium percarbonate, and highly pressurized water jets successively in a specialized tip washing machine. We predict that the washing protocol will have some noticeable effects on the surface of the plastic tips which could include scratches, gouges, or holes. The presence of these features would suggest that microplastics are generated in the tip-washing process. This information will inform best practices when it comes to pipette tip washing in other research laboratories and scaled-up systems of washing and reuse of lab plastics. With better practices, there will hopefully be less plastic waste.
