About the project
To assess environmental bioremediation using oyster. Microplastics and their chemical additives are widespread but once released into the environment, are impossible to remove using current techniques. Bioremediation is probably the solution and this project will explore the potential of Pacific oyster while ensuring this high-quality seafood retains its healthy status.
Large plastics degrade in the sea into ‘microplastics’ (1 µm – 1 mm diameter) during which process chemical additives such as plasticisers and flame retardants leach out. Filter-feeding bivalves egest unwanted material (including microplastics) as faeces and pseudo-faeces producing ‘mussel muds’ under the colonies which are extremely rich in nutrients and thus could become an effective fertilizer. Oysters, both fared and wild present the potential benefit of both removing contaminants from the marine environment and generating a valuable fertilizer.
The student will work in close collaboration with oyster farmers collecting specimens at different stages of their growth and after depuration and samples of the underlying mussel mud.
This will be followed by processing and preparation of the material at NOC followed by analysis using advanced analytical facilities in the Microplastics Research laboratory and in UoS laboratories. These analyses can characterise the microplastics (size, type) and their additives within different parts of the oyster body and at different times in the farming process as well as the mussel muds generated at different times.
In parallel with this the student can examine different approaches to sediment cleansing so that it provides a suitable and safe fertiliser.
Examples of research questions the student may consider:
- How can bivalves act as bioremediators for the removal of microplastics and additives?
- Are older individuals more efficient as bioremediators?
- Does depuration remove microplastics and chemicals from oyster bodies?
- How to optimise treatment of ‘mussel mud’ for the removal of contaminants before use as a fertilizer?
You will also be supervised by organisations other than the University of Southampton, including Dr Alice Horton and Professor Richard Lampitt from National Oceanography Centre.
