The fabrics that fill our homes, from natural cotton towels and bedsheets, to clothes produced with synthetic materials, produce microscopic fibers as they break down over time. Previous research has shown that household washers collect and release these microfibers into the environment, and now a new studyย uses citizen science to demonstrate how dryer vents also produce microfibers under normal household use.ย ย
DRI scientists are recruiting fifteen Fallon residents with private wells to participate in a water quality study. All fifteen study participants will receive free water quality results, and a subset of the well owners will receive water filtration systems.ย The research will be used to identify the spatial extent and potential sources of contaminants such as pesticides, microplastics, and flame retardants and quantify the efficacy of treatment systems to reduce concentrations in drinking water.
Angelique DePauw and Olivia Hines are undergraduate student researchers in the Microplastics and Environmental Chemistry Lab. Together, they are conducting an experiment comparing the decomposition rates of plastic and plastic-alternative straws.
Rachel Kozloski is a Ph.D. student in Dr. Monica Arienzo’s lab focused on the movement and characteristics of microplastics in ground and surface water.
Since its launch, IRP has provided nearly $650,000 in philanthropic funding to support early-stage innovative research at DRI.
Researchers debriefed global participants on microplastics in the environment, a new online snow tracker tool for water resource management, and the role of dogs in body recovery. Link to Event Video Presentation Available at...
Reno, Nev. & South Lake Tahoe, Cal. (July 20, 2020) – Last year, Desert Research Institute (DRI) and the League to Save Lake Tahoe detected microplastics in Lake Tahoe for the first time ever, many of which were microfibers. This discovery revealed that...
Take a moment to picture a scientist who has made a groundbreaking discovery. What does that person look like? Perhaps itโs a person in a white coat standing in a lab with microscopes and test tubes, or a distinguished professor accepting an award on stage. What if...