Plastics in the natural environment
Since mass production of plastics began in the 1950s the flow of plastics into the natural environment has been a growing problem and is now one of the world’s most pressing environmental concerns.
Ultimately this research aims to understand the nature of plastic contamination so we can develop strategies for mitigation, and techniques to evaluate the impact of mitigation attempts.
Ian Kane / Plastics in the natural environment lead
Our research aims to identify the sources and pathways that plastics take into natural systems, and to identify the contexts in which they are ultimately sequestered, and the ecosystems they affect.
Our expertise spans ecotoxicology, fluvial geomorphology, geology, sedimentology, nano- and microplastic extraction methods, plastic identification and characterisation, and covers the Earth’s surface, from mountain tops to lowland rivers and submarine trenches. We work across urban and natural environments.
Our research areas
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Degradation
Enzymes and catalysts are being developed to breakdown plastics for chemical recycling routes and analysis performed on the emitted by-products. Our Manchester Institute of Biotechnology is where much of this work happens.
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Identification and characterisation
Have the capability and expertise to perform microscopy, chemical imaging and micro-scale spectroscopy (e.g. Infrared and Raman) of micro and nano plastics to identify and characterise them.
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Transport processes
Research has shown that plastics exist in a host of our environments however, understanding of their transport is still not clear. Researchers are looking at the source, transfer and fate of nano- and microplastics from the terrestrial to marine environments and then looking at their assemblage type and concentration.
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Ecotoxicology
The true effect of ingesting plastics is unknown so researchers are looking at the effect micro and nano plastics have on the health of aquatic and terrestrial organisms and studying their impact on behaviour, development, physiology, metabolism and gene expression. As part of that work they are looking at how and where plastics get into animals, and how long they remain there. Researchers are also looking at the adherence of toxins to plastics which can affect their toxicological impact.
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Sedimentary processes
The ultimate fate of plastics in the environment is in the ground and we have researchers looking at their transport and distribution in different environments such in groundwater, in soil, and on the sea bed.
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Sustainable plastics
Plastics are a versatile material with a host of uses but we need to think smarter with the types of plastic we use. Researchers are creating innovative polymers that are sustainable both economically and environmentally by tackling the main issues seen during their recycling and processing.
Our researchers
Frank Boons
Professor of Innovation and Sustainability
Research specialisms: Sustainable plastics and circular economy of plastics.
Andrea Bottacin Busolin
Lecturer in Water Engineering
Research specialisms: Plastic occurrence in rivers and the physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Stephen Boult
Senior Lecturer
Research specialisms: Filtration of microplastics and the physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Alison Browne
Senior Lecturer in Geography
Research specialisms: Everyday practices of invisible plastics consumption.
Peter Budd
Professor of Polymer Chemistry
Research specialisms: Sustainable plastics, degradation of plastics, imaging and characterisation of plastics.
Martin Burgess
Research Associate
Research specialisms: Circular economy of plastics, sustainable plastics and recycling.
Cyrill Bussy
Lecturer
Research specialisms: Toxicity and ecological impacts of plastics.
Maria Canal
Lecturer
Research specialisms: Toxicity and ecological impacts of plastics.
Vicky Coker
Lecturer
Research specialisms: Imaging and characterisation of plastics.
Neil Dixon
Reader
Research specialisms: Bioconsumption, degradation of plastics, circular economy of plastics.
Lee Fielding
Lecturer
Research specialisms: Imaging and characterisation of plastics, circular economy of plastics, nanoplastics, sustainable plastics.
Alejandro Gallego Schmid
Lecturer in Circular Economy and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment
Research specialisms: Circular economy of plastics.
Peter Gardner
Professor of Analytical and Biomedical Spectroscopy
Research specialisms: Imaging and characterisation of plastics, degradation of plastics, Infrared and Raman imaging of micro and nano plastics.
Arthur Garforth
Professor of Catalysts
Research specialisms: Degradation of plastics, imaging and characterisation of plastics, Circular economy of plastics, Analysis of cracking and hydrocracking.
Anthony Green
David Phillips Research Fellow and Lecturer in Organic Chemistry
Adam Greer
Research Associate
Research specialisms: Degradation of plastics, imaging and characterisation of plastics, plastic recycling.
Chris Hardacre
Head of the School of Engineering
Helen Holmes
Lecturer in Sociology
Research specialisms: Consumption practices, sustainable plastics and circular economy of plastics.
Claire Hoolohan
Research Fellow
Research specialisms: Everyday practices of invisible plastics consumption.
Mads Huuse
Professor
Research specialisms: The physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Ian Kane
Reader
Research specialisms: Plastic occurrence in the sea and the physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Paul Mativenga
Professor of Multiscale and Sustainable Manufacturing
Research specialisms: Microplastics, degradation of plastics, plastic occurrence in rivers and mapping resource flow.
Neil Mitchell
Reader
Research specialisms: Plastic occurrence in the sea and the physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Vahid Niasar
Senior lecturer and MS program director
Research specialisms: Microplastics, transport and filtrations of plastics and circular economy of plastics.
Sophie Nixon
Research Fellow
Research specialisms: Microbial degradation of microplastics.
Malte Roedl
Honorary Research Fellow
Research specialisms: Sustainable plastics.
Martin Rose
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Research specialisms: Toxicity and ecological impacts of plastics.
James Rothwell
Professor of Physical Geography
Research specialisms: Plastic occurrence in rivers and the physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Majid Sedighi
Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering
Research specialisms: Physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems and filtration of microplastics.
Maria Sharmina
Senior Lecturer in Energy and Sustainability
Research specialisms: Circular economy of plastics.
Holly Shiels
Reader
Research specialisms: Toxicity and ecological impacts of plastics.
Kevin Taylor
Professor of Sedimentology and Tectonics
Research specialisms: Physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Aleksander Tedstone
Research Associate
Research specialisms: Degradation of plastics, imaging and characterisation of plastics, Circular economy of plastics, developing catalysts and engineering processes for chemical recycling of plastics.
Nicholas Turner
Professor of Chemical Biology
Research specialisms: Degradation of plastics, sustainable plastics.
Roy Wogelius
Professor of Geochemistry
Research specialisms: Physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems and filtration of microplastics.
Lu Shin Wong
Senior Lecturer
Research specialisms: Degradation of plastics, Sustainable plastics.
Jamie Woodward
Professor of Physical Geography
Research specialisms: Plastic occurrence in rivers and the physical processes of plastic transport in environmental systems.
Our projects
By working with local partners, international scientific bodies and governments we will raise the awareness of plastic pollution and its effect on the natural environment.
- Microplastics in UK waterways – we have a team based in the School of Environment, Education and Development who are looking at the origins, storage and transport of microplastics in river systems. Key contacts – Jamie Woodward and James Rothwell
- Microplastics on the seafloor – we have a team looking at the transport and distribution of microplastics to, and on, the seafloor. SCAMPI (Seafloor Currents And Microplastics Investigation) is a collaboration between The University of Manchester and the National Oceanography Centre to investigate the role of seafloor currents in controlling the distribution of microplastics in the ocean. Key contact – Ian Kane
- The Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub) is being led by the Henry Royce Institute to support SMEs from across Greater Manchester to develop innovative solutions to develop a more sustainable approach to plastics use and lower their carbon footprints. Key contact – Martin Burgess
- RE3 - Rethinking Resources and Recycling – is an ambitious multi-disciplinary collaboration between leaders in industry, government and academia at The University of Manchester on circular economy for reducing plastics waste. The project pulls in a breadth of disciplines in The University of Manchester, including engineering, economics, material science and geography, and has more than twenty industry partners. Key contact – Mike Shaver
- Reframing Plastic Waste as a Resource is an extension to the EPSRC UK Catalysis Hub and will focus on the catalytic process for plastics to operate in a circular economy. Key contacts – Arthur Garforth and Aleksander Tedstone
- PLASTICHEAL - Innovative tools to study the impact and mode of action of micro and nanoplastics on human health: towards a knowledge base for risk assessment. This EU consortium grant will look at the health implication of plastics looking at differences between plastic sources (air, water and food) and their effect on biological systems.
Discover more about our research
Find out more about the work of Manchester Environmental Research Institute.
Visit our research pages
Reducing plastics across the University
See what The University of Manchester is doing to reduce single use plastic on campus.
Read more
Our newsletters
Read more about our work on plastics on the following newsletters:
- Plastics in the natural environment - Microplastic pollution
- Plastics in the natural environment - Degradation
- Plastics in the natural environment - Identification and characterisation
- Plastics in the natural environment - Transport processes
- Plastics in the natural environment - Ecotoxicology of plastics