WCT Pilot Project
Aquatic Microplastic Filtration Device Research and Pilot Deployment
PROJECT INFORMATION
PolyGone has announced a new collaboration with the Willistown Conservation Trust under the support of the prime award granted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the purpose of Aquatic Microplastic Filtration Device Research and Pilot Deployment. PolyGone will utilize the technical expertise of Lauren McGrath from Willistown Conservation Trust to meet the objectives identified in the above-mentioned study. Specifically, WCT staff will assist in field deployments of the PolyGone devices in Ridley Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River in Chester County, PA. WCT will be assisting in collecting discharge and flow rates, microplastic grab sample collection, and water chemistry parameters data. The Pilot aims to provide educational opportunities to students through a Co-op collaboration as well as promote water monitoring and filtration. The project is expected to launch in April 2024.
PARTNERSHIPS
PolyGone Systems is the technology provider in this Pilot and co-host for the co-op program.
Leadership Team:
Nathaniel Banks, CTO
Yidian Liu, COO
Established in 1979, the Willistown Conservation Trust manages open land, rural character, scenic, recreational, historic, agricultural and natural resources of the Willistown area and nearby communities. WCT works with people of all ages, backgrounds, and heritage to both educate and inspire long term commitments to preserving land and the natural world.
Project Lead:
Lauren McGrath
SITE INFORMATION
The project site is located at Willistown Conservation Trust (PA), the WCT will host the device deployments in Ridley Creek at Ashbridge Preserve.
Ashbridge Preserve
Warrior Co-op
In addition to the Plastic Hunter Pilot, the Willistown Conservation Trust is collaborating with Polygone Systems to develop a 2-year job program from 2024-2025. The co-op is designed to hire a Warrior Co-op from Drexel university first in April of 2024, and then in April of 2025. The Plastic Warrior Co-ops will conduct weekly sampling and data collection from the deployment, the Warrior Co-op’s will be under the supervision of the WCT Staff. All samples collected by the Warrior Co-op will be analyzed in PolyGone’s lab.
The 2024 Selected Co-op Warrior: Dan
BROADER IMPACT
The program hopes to provide a means for younger generations to engage with water monitoring as well as understand the harm that emerging water pollutants have on the environment, through both education and field deployment. The WCT Pilot aims to improve the water quality and filtration methods for the future generations.
WCT staff at the Plastic Hunter Deployment.