Webinar

New State of the Art Laboratory / Facility for Investigation of Materials in the Marine Environment

Part of the Biodegradation Studies and Experiments for Materials in the Marine Environment Series

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 11:00 AM-12:00 PM EDT
Online

Together with

Summary

In 2022, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth established a state-of-the-art research and product development facility to advance the science, standards, and products related to biodegradability of plastics in the marine environment. The primary objective of the Biodegradability Laboratory is to test and develop new biodegradable materials suitable for use in various industries, such as textiles, packaging, and other sectors that contribute significantly to marine plastic pollution. This webinar will offer an overview of the laboratory's first year, highlighting the challenges, successes, and insights gained during the setup and testing of two Columbus Instrument's respirometry systems. A 60-channel and 80-channel aerobic Micro-Oxymax system were used to develop a standard operating procedure in adherence to the ASTM D6691 standard method. An overview of the full suite of instrumentation, equipment, and assays included in the standard operating procedure, biodegradation experiment setup and monitoring, and critical lessons learned will be covered.

About the Speaker

Micheline Labrie, Ph.D.
Science Lead & Manager/Co-principal Investigator
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMassD)

Dr. Micheline Labrie is the science lead of the Biodegradability Laboratory and research project manager/co-principal investigator within the Coastal Systems Program at the School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMassD), New Bedford, MA. She obtained her doctorate degree in marine science at UMassD Estuarine and Ocean Science Department and has a background and interest in estuarine biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem health, nutrient cycling related to aquaculture, and marine pollution.

This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.

Refund Policy for SPE Webinars

No refunds available for SPE Webinars.