Red Sea Expedition Inspires Students to Research Plastic Pollution, Present Findings at MICRO 2024

Red Sea Expedition Inspires Students to Research Plastic Pollution, Present Findings at MICRO 2024

(IN BRIEF) A field trip to the Red Sea has inspired three SAMS undergraduate students to investigate plastic pollution, which they will present at the MICRO 2024 conference. Their research focuses on plastic waste in Red Sea mangroves and Scottish beaches. Professors Bhavani Narayanaswamy and Geslaine Lemos Gonçalves will also present their work on microplastic contamination in Ghana. The international conference will bring together over 800 participants to address the plastic pollution crisis.

(PRESS RELEASE) OBAN, 20-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — A field trip to the Red Sea has inspired three undergraduate students from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), a partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), to delve into marine plastic pollution research. Their findings will be presented next week at the international plastic pollution conference, MICRO 2024, alongside research from their professors, Prof. Bhavani Narayanaswamy and Dr. Geslaine Lemos Gonçalves.

The students—Karen MacKechnie, Caitlin Fowler, and Laura Marcos Widmer—were part of a group of 15 who visited the Red Roots Sea facility in El Quseir, Egypt, in April. While captivated by the diverse marine life they encountered, such as turtles and lionfish, they were struck by the alarming amount of plastic pollution. This experience led them to focus their group project on the issue.

“We were deeply affected by the plastic waste we saw in such a stunning environment,” said Karen MacKechnie. Their research will explore plastic abundance in Red Sea mangroves, beach litter, and plastic pollution on Scottish coastlines.

Prof. Narayanaswamy and Dr. Lemos Gonçalves will also share their work on microplastic contamination in Ghana’s mangrove wetlands and beaches at the conference, which takes place in Lanzarote from 23 to 27 September 2024. The event is expected to attract over 800 attendees, including leading researchers and policymakers focused on addressing the global plastic pollution crisis.

Media Contact:

Euan Paterson
Communications and Media Officer
Euan.Paterson@sams.ac.uk
01631 559342 (direct dial)
07827 963984 (mobile)
01631 559000 (switchboard)

SOURCE: Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)