Cal State Channel Islands students research microplastic pollutants due to wildfires

Cal State University Channel Islands Environmental Science and Resource Management Program made a field trip out to a Woolsey Fire burned zone to collect air samples.

The team has been working on research into microplastic in the air since September 2018. After the fires in Ventura County broke out, the team wanted to collect new data.

Students at CSUCI went out to Westlake Village to set up an air sampler. Students say this type of study has never been done before, but since fires are happening more frequently, it’s important.

“For environmental science, you have to work with what your environment is and look at different variables in the environment,” said Emily Welsh, an ESRM student at Cal State Channel Islands. “All these houses and all these things that are burning are being released into our atmosphere and we are just investigating that plastic might be one of these pollutants.”

They will conclude their study sometime in 2019. Meanwhile, students will continue to collect more air samples on Friday in Agoura Hills.