Flume experiments being used to develop standardized collection method for measuring microplastics in stormwater

SCCWRP and its partners are nearing completion on a series of controlled hydraulic flume experiments that will help standardize methods for collecting stormwater samples in preparation for measuring their microplastics content.

The flume experiments, which are expected to wrap up in December at the University of California, Santa Barbara, mimic how stormwater flows in rivers, enabling researchers to control variables, including the amount of plastic particles and flow rates.

The flume experiments are the latest step in California’s ongoing efforts to generate high-quality, directly comparable data on microplastics pollution in water bodies statewide. In addition to developing a standardized sampling method for stormwater, researchers also are standardizing sampling methods for ambient water, sediment and aquatic life.

Researchers intend to use the results from the flume experiments to inform field testing that is planned for this winter.