Week 1

I'm working on purchasing a new bacteria and plastic to add to the experiment. I'm going to use the bacteria for sure (but probably won't collect data from using it until next semester). I'm really interested in expanding the kinds of plastic that we're using.

We filtered plastics from our wastewater samples, and I'm going tomorrow to drop them off at ASU West. We're collaborating with members of Dr Beth Polidoro's lab. That's really exciting for me since the projects in their lab are definitely the main ones that I'm really hoping to have the opportunity to participate in once I transfer there. They're going to do Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry on the samples.

This week we are setting up to begin the long time study. Soon, we hope to begin instrumentation on some existing samples to further refine our protocols before we begin analyzing the new time points. I'm really excited about exploring and working with the new protocols that we already have. Our team is a great mix, and we've had a lot of experience to really get good at the protocols that we already have. I'm really anticipating the results of the new time study. Our existing protocols are going to be better than ever, and I'm so excited to find out about microplastics in our local wastewater treatment plants. I've read tons of papers about microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, but now I get to check my own area.

It was so nice to see everyone again! and get to work with some new people as well. I'm so glad to be back at PC.