UROP Project

Following Plastic Pollution Across the Global Ocean: Linking plastic distribution, ocean dynamics, and marine life exposure

Plastic pollution, global ocean, marine life

Research Mentor: Abdul Mobin Ibna Hafiz, He/Him
Department, College, Affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Contact Email: ai22h@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Research Assistant Transportation Required: FAMU-FSU Bus Service
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

Plastic particles have become ubiquitous in global ocean, covering from coastal estuaries to the open sea and the poles. These particles are transported in a connected path from land and rivers, through estuaries, and into the open ocean, and once they enter the water, ocean physics govern the transport. Currents, winds, waves, and surface drift carry particles over long distances and concentrate them in accumulation zones such as subtropical gyres and coastal convergence zones. Additionally, human activities also shape where plastics enter and build up, with shipping lanes, fishing grounds, and river mouths acting as major sources. The species most exposed to this pollution are often the ones least able to avoid it, including filter feeders such as oysters that pump large volumes of water and benthic organisms such as crayfish that live in the sediments where these particles settle. My research focuses on how plastic particles move through stormwater and marine systems and how they can be detected and mapped using field, satellite, and modeling approaches. However, research gap remains regarding the global spatial link between where plastics accumulate, the oceanographic and anthropogenic activities that drive that accumulation, and how vulnerable species get affected by this. This project will combine a large global plastic dataset with oceanographic and ship-activity data to map that overlap and to explore how pollution and ocean dynamics together shape habitat exposure for marine life. The aim is to move from knowing that plastics are everywhere toward understanding where the risk to marine habitats is highest and why, which supports better monitoring, restoration, and pollution-reduction decisions.

Research Tasks: 1. Collect and process the data. Compile and clean the NOAA NCEI Marine Microplastics dataset (the provided global dataset of ocean plastic measurements) along with matching oceanographic data from the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS), such as surface currents, Stokes drift, wind speed, and sea surface temperature, and global ship-traffic data from Automatic Identification System (AIS) sources. Standardize these datasets to common units, time periods, and a shared map grid so they can be compared directly.
2. Map and characterize global plastic distribution and its drivers. Create maps of plastic concentration by ocean and region, then use straightforward statistics and visualization in to test how concentrations relate to currents, wind, drift, and ship activity. This step identifies accumulation zones and the likely pathways along which plastics travel.
3. Interpret and communicate the findings. Prepare clear figures and a short summary or poster describing where and why marine habitats are most exposed to plastic pollution, and what the results suggest for future monitoring and mitigation.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: 1. Literature review (required)
2. Exploratory Data Analyses (required)
3. Data and result interpretation (required)
4. Map generation (recommended)