Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Honors Paper

Degree Name

Biology-BS

Department

Biology & Earth Science

Advisor

Dr. Halard Lescinsky

First Committee Member

Jeffery Lehman

Second Committee Member

Dr. Louis Rose

Keywords

Microplastics, Aquatic, Fish, River, Stream

Subject Categories

Biology | Higher Education | Marine Biology

Abstract

Microplastics are a major threat to both ecosystem and human health. In this study, I investigated the abundance of microplastics at five sites along Big Walnut Creek, Ohio including sites upstream, downstream, and within urban development. Samples were taken from the stream surface water and fish at each site. Microplastics were detected in the surface water and fish at all five sites with a total of 383 microplastic particles found in the 157 fish collected for this study. The mean concentration for all sites was 80.8 particles/m3 in the surface water and 2.4 particles per fish. Microplastics were almost entirely (98% in fish, 95% in water) fragments and not fibers. Microplastics were between 0.2 mm and 4.9 mm in size with 98% in fish and 89.1% in the water < 1 mm in length. Microplastics were highest at urban sites, and within fish that lived in the water column as opposed to benthic species. Big Walnut Creek is in a good state, but microplastics are present and further research is needed to determine the effects of microplastics on the health of the ecosystem and aquatic life. Better laws are also needed in the urban parts of central Ohio to prevent plastic waste from going into the waterways.

Licensing Permission

Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use

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Acknowledgement 2

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