By Aaron Holbrook
UW-Green Bay has received a $330,000 grant from SC Johnson to study microplastics found in fish from Lake Michigan and the Bay of Green Bay.
The project will look at how often fish swallow these plastics, where the biggest problem areas are and what kinds of plastics are most common.
“With support from SC Johnson, UW-Green Bay is going to both build out research in an understudied area and give our students skills that they’ll carry into their careers.” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “This is a great step forward for our region. It’s public-private partnerships improving student outcomes, the natural environment and community health.”
Microplastics are fragments of plastic that are typically smaller than five millimeters–about the size of a sesame seed. Microplastics can result from the breakdown of larger plastic items. Due to their size, they are difficult to remove, and they can accumulate in the environment.
A team led by Patrick Forsythe, UW-Green Bay’s Herbert Fisk Johnson professor of Environmental Studies, will collect fish at regular sites around the lake and bay. In the lab, researchers will examine stomach contents with microscopes and lab tests to identify the size and type of plastic. The results will help show where microplastics build up and how they may move through the food web.
“Students are always drawn to hands‑on, applied projects that benefit the public,” said John Katers, dean of the College of Science, Engineering & Technology. He added that students will work directly with faculty on interdisciplinary research that contributes to scientific knowledge, exactly the type of high-impact learning experience the University seeks to provide.
The grant will also support student learning. Funding will help pay for a postdoctoral researcher, a master’s student and several undergraduates. Students will gain hands-on experience in the field and the lab and may publish reports and research papers.
“Plastic is one of the most unique materials that’s brought many benefits to human life. But it is also a pollutant that is affecting planetary, animal and human health,” said Alex Abraham, chief communications officer at SC Johnson. “We have worked for decades as a company to bring solutions to this issue, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The research that UW-Green Bay is doing on microplastics is critical to identifying solutions, and we’re pleased to support students who understand the urgency of this problem.”
Forsythe hopes to begin the hiring process for researchers immediately, with work to take place in 2026 and 2027, and publication of findings in 2028.
Source: UWGB receives $330,000 to study microplastics in Green Bay