Plastic Pollution Working Group
PLASTIC POLLUTION | Global Change Center
The goal of the Plastic Pollution Working Group is to bring together faculty and students from across Virginia Tech, as well as other institutions as a means to facilitate research and education activities that address plastic pollution problems.
Plastic pollution is recognized globally as a pressing environmental crisis. Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), small plastic pieces less than 5 mm in dimension, have been detected widely in marine environments, freshwater systems, sediments, soil, sea-ice, and air. The omnipresence of MNPs in these environmental niches has led to well-documented threats to ecosystems and human health, with a recent study reporting the presence of MNPs in human blood and lung tissue.
The extent, complexity, and persistence of plastic pollution makes it a ‘wicked’ environmental challenge with impacts that go far beyond geographical borders. As for any wicked problem, Inter- and transdisciplinary research and education, as well as engagement with stakeholders are required to tackle the plastic pollution issue.
CORE THEMES
Theme 1: Pollution Reduction
To reduce plastic waste entering the environment by focusing on the circular economy and life cycle of plastic products.
Theme 2: Transport and fate of plastics in the environment
To improve detection and prediction of the spread of plastics within and between environmental compartments.
Theme 3: One Health
To improve understanding and mitigation of the environmental and human health risks associated with plastic pollution with emphasis on 'One Health' approach.
Theme 4: Outreach, engagement, and policy
To engage with the general public, stakeholders, and policy makers to enhance the impact of research and education on plastic pollution.
CORE MEMBERSHIP
Foroutan H., Gray, A. D., Isaacman-VanWertz, G., Stout, W., “Tracing the Micro- and Nanoplastic Cycle in the Environment: An Investigation across Air, Freshwater, and Marine Ecosystems,” Seale Coastal Zone Observatory, 05/2025 – 05/2027.
Foroutan, H. and Rakha, H., “Multiscale dynamic assessment of airborne microplastic emissions in tire wear particles,” Center for Tire Research (CenTiRe), 08/2023 – 08/2026.
Foroutan, H., “CAREER: Micro- and Nanoplastics in Sea Spray: Emission, Transport, and Deposition in the Environment,” NSF Environmental Engineering, 06/2022 – 05/2027.
Gray, A. D., “CAREER:The Plastisphere of Pond Ecosystems: Understanding the function and fate of novel carbon in biogeochemical hotspots,” NSF Division of Environmental Biology 08/2025 – 07/2030
- Bowden, J., Gray, A. D., Zhao, X. “Persistent Pollutants in Florida Recycled Organics and Fertilizers,” Hinkley Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. 08/2024 – 05/2026
Long, T. E., Green, M., Jin, K., Russell, J. D., Kirkwood, Keith M. “EFRI E3P: GOALI: Waste Management and Circularity of Crosslinked Polyurethane Foams, “NSF Directorate for Engineering. 08/2021 - 08/2026.
Long, T. E., Russell, J. D., Xie, R., Green, M., Dooley, K., Seo., E., Oswald, J., Muhich, C. “Training for Improving Plastics Circularity: Exciting Students for Sustainability with Curriculum, Open-Access Resources, and Training (ESSCORT),” National Institutes of Standards & Technology. 06/2022 - 05/2025.
Crosset-Perrotin, G., Moraz, A., Portela, R., Alcolea-Rodriguez, V., Burrueco-Subirà, D., Smith, C., Bañares, M.A., Foroutan, H., Fairbrother, D.H., 2025, “Production, labeling, and applications of micro- and nanoplastic reference and test materials,” Environmental Science: Nano, 12: 2911-2964
Elnahas, A., Gray, A. D., Lee, J., AlAmiri, N., Pokhrel, N., Allen, S., Foroutan, H., 2025, “Atmospheric Deposition of Microplastics in South Central Appalachia in the United States,” ACS ES&T Air, 2(1): 64-72.
Foroutan, H., Aryal, A., Craine, M., Rakha, H., 2025, “Projecting airborne tire wear particle emissions in the United States in the era of electric vehicles,” Science of The Total Environment, 967: 178848.
Yang, H., and Foroutan, H., 2023, “Effects of near-bed turbulence on microplastics fate and transport in streams,” Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 905, p. 167173.
Harb, C., Pokhrel, N., Foroutan, H., 2023, “Quantification of the emission of atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics via sea spray,” Environmental Science & Technology Letters, Vol. 10(6), pp. 513-519.
Albi, K., Krometis, L., Ling, E., Cohen, A., Xia, K., Gray, A. D., Dudzinski, E., Ellis, K. (2025). Comparing In-home and Bottled Drinking Water Quality: An Analysis of Regulated and Emerging Contaminants in Rural Central Appalachia. Journal of Water and Health. DOI:10.2166/wh.2025.073
Gray, A. D., GoreG, B., GaesserG , M., Rodriguez SequeiraG, L., ThibodeauU, T., MontgomeryU, A., Dura, T., MayerG, K. G. (2025). Insights into the In-situ Degradation and Fragmentation of Macroplastics in a Low-order Riverine System. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, vgaf116. DOI: 10.1093/etojnl/vgaf116
Dziobak, M. K., Fahlman, A., Wells, R. S., Takeshita, R., Smith, C., Gray, A. D., Weinstein, J. E., Hart, L. B. (2024). First Evidence of Microplastic Inhalation among Free-ranging Small Cetaceans. Plos one, 19(10), e0309377. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0309377
Miller, J., BarrettG, N., Love, J., Gray, A. D., Youker, R., GaesserG, M., Hall, C., Meiri, N., Randall, G., Jarrett, R., Spafford, J. (2024). Temporal and Spatial Variations in Microplastic Concentrations in Small Headwater Basins in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA. Environments, 11(11), 240. DOI: 10.3390/environments11110240
Gray, A. D., MayerG, K.G., GoreG, B., GaesserG, M., FergusonU, N. (2024). Microplastic Burden in Native (Cambarus appalachiensis) and Non-native (Faxonius cristavarius) Crayfish along Semi-rural and Urban Streams in Southwest Virginia, USA. Environmental Research, 119494. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119494
- Ertel, B. M., Weinstein, J. E., Gray, A. D. (2023). Rising Seas and Roadway Debris: Microplastic and Low-density Tire Wear Particles in Street-associated Tidal Floodwater. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 195, 115502. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115502
Galappaththi, E. K., Russell, J. D., Dolby, M., Newsome, T., Jayasekara, S. M., 2025, “Status of global accumulation of marine debris,” Global Environmental Change, 95: 103058.
- IGC Reuseful (2023)
Student Members:
Mona Abadian, Sustainable Biomaterials
Meg Harris, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Victoria Hymel, School of Public and International Affairs
Jay Margolis, Biological Sciences
Elizabeth Tarimo, Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Jennifer Russell, Sustainable Biomaterials
- Hokie Science Showcase (2024)
Student Members:
Kathleen (Mayer) Irhin, Biological Sciences
Shariful Islam, Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Meredith Snyder, Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Austin Gray, Biological Sciences
Reduce, Reuse, Remix: A Trash to Treasure Contest (2025)
Student Members:
Mary Adebote, Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Atif Ali, Sustainable Biomaterials
Anu Rai, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
Nitheshnirmal Sadhasivam, Geosciences
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Hosein Foroutan, Civil and Environmental Engineering
INTERESTED IN THE PLASTIC POLLUTION WORKING GROUP?
CONTACT
Hosein Foroutan
{foroutan@vt.edu}
