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Overview

Theo Murphy meeting organised by Professor Gary Hampson, Dr Catherine Russell, Dr Ian Kane, Dr Michael Clare, Professor Sarah Gabbott and Professor Matthew Jackson.

This multi-disciplinary workshop brings together researchers with interests in how plastic behaves as a sedimentary material. Understanding how, where and when plastics are transported, break down and accumulate in the natural environment requires sedimentary geoscience research to be integrated with contributions from material scientists, chemical engineers and chemists, experimentalists, fluid dynamicists and biologists.

The schedule of talks and speaker biographies is available below. Speaker abstracts will be available closer to the meeting date.

Poster session

There will be a poster session on Monday 18 March 2024. If you would like to apply to present a poster please submit your proposed title, abstract (not more than 200 words and in third person), author list, name of the proposed presenter and institution to the Scientific Programmes team no later than Monday 12 February 2024. Please include the text ‘Poster abstract submission’ in the email subject line. Please note that places are limited and posters are selected at the scientific organiser’s discretion.

Attending this event

This event is intended for researchers in relevant fields and is a residential meeting taking place at Conference Aston, Aston Street, Birmingham, B4 7ET. The nearest train stations are Birmingham New Street, Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham Moor Street.

  • Free to attend
  • Advance registration essential (please request an invitation)
  • This is an in-person meeting
  • Catering options are available to purchase during registration. Participants are responsible for their own accommodation booking.

To view the programme, please scroll down and select the day on the left-hand side. Click the arrows to view the speakers and talks.

Enquiries: contact the Scientific Programmes team

Organisers

Schedule

09:00-09:05
Introduction
09:05-09:30
Characterisation of micro- and nanoplastics: analytical challenges

Speakers

09:30-09:45
Discussion
09:45-10:15
What can we learn from clastic sediment particles to improve our understanding of microplastic transport?

Speakers

10:15-10:30
Discussion
10:30-11:00
Break
11:00-11:30
Critical reassessment of microplastic abundances in the marine environment

Speakers

11:30-11:45
Discussion
11:45-12:15
Should we care about plastic in sediments?

Speakers

12:15-12:30
Discussion

Chair

13:30-14:00
Molecular design principles for more sustainable plastics

Speakers

14:00-14:15
Discussion
14:15-14:45
The multidimensionality of microplastics and how it affects their fate and transport in aquatic ecosystems.

Speakers

14:45-15:00
Discussion
15:00-15:30
Break
15:30-16:00
Professor Stefan Krause, University of Birmingham, UK
16:00-16:15
Discussion
16:15-17:00
Poster flash talks

Chair

09:00-09:30
Microplastics in rivers: sources, storage, and flux

Speakers

09:30-09:45
Discussion
09:45-10:15
The role of hyperpycnal and turbidity flows in the transport and burial of plastic in marine sediments: examples from Southern Italy

Speakers

10:15-10:30
Discussion
10:30-11:00
Break
11:00-11:30
Microplastics in deep-marine environments

Speakers

11:30-11:45
Discussion
11:45-12:15
The transport and accumulation of plastics in submarine canyons and the deep sea

Speakers

12:15-12:30
Discussion

Chair

13:30-14:00
Stormwater pond sediment is key storage material for microplastic debris

Speakers

14:00-14:15
Discussion
14:15-14:45
Plastic as a sediment

Speakers

14:45-15:00
Discussion
15:00-15:30
Break
15:30-16:00
Plastic pollution - what progress are we making toward solving this global environmental challenge?

Speakers

Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS

University of Plymouth

16:00-16:15
Discussion
16:15-17:00
Panel discussion