Jordan Landis is testing the waters. Literally.
Could microplastic-eating algae be used to improve America’s water quality?
Jordan Landis focuses the microscope to get a better view of particulates that are magnified 100x beneath the lens. She is not surprised to find multiple pieces of debris in the 1ml water sample. While these non-biodegradable microplastics are tiny, Landis understands they can hold much larger impacts: the invisible-to-the-naked-eye sized plastics may negatively impact public health.
These microplastics are becoming more prevalent in all water sources across the planet, and Landis is eager to address the challenge. “Water affects us all,” she said. “Everyone needs clean, potable water, so that drives my desire to work in sustainable infrastructure and environmental engineering.”
Not only is she just prepared to get involved, but Landis has also already filed for a patent on a potentially groundbreaking process designed to reduce microplastics at wastewater treatment plants. For the past several months, she has also been applying her skills and researching this approach with the Carolinas’ largest public water utility, Charlotte Water.
Armed with a UNC Charlotte engineering degree completed in May 2024 and work experience with the water treatment plant, Landis is among the first researchers to dive into this global issue.
“While the algae grow, it produces more of the enzyme to consume the plastic. The bioengineered algae break these polymers into monomers or single molecules that are more benign to the environment.”
– Jordan Landis
What’s the big deal with micro-plastics?
Charlotteans are trending away from plastic, trying everything from paper straws and bamboo cutlery to glass meal prep sets and stainless steel tumblers. But why all the concern?
With tons of debris winding up in the aquatic ecosystems across the globe, human health is increasingly at risk. Man-made plastics like water bottles and synthetic clothing enter natural water supplies – cracking, breaking and ripping apart but never decomposing. The byproduct of these original consumer goods are the unseen threat of microplastics. Since they do not naturally biodegrade, they accumulate over time, often making their way into our bodies.
Common Sources of Microplastics
According to EARTHDAY.ORG, the average American ingests more than 70,000 microplastics each year through their drinking water, and little is being done so far to limit this threat. Experts are concerned about the risks to humans, including blocked digestive tracts, neurotoxicity and more; however, since the research community is still in its early lifecycle stage, full health implications are still being studied.
Olya Keen, professor of environmental engineering at William States Lee College of Engineering and research expert in emerging contaminants, acknowledges that it is too difficult to just avoid consuming the tiny pieces of trash. “We are working toward a solution that addresses this health risk long before it reaches our dinner table,” she said. “As environmental engineers, we study and test methods to combat this increasing threat closer to the point of initial pollution.”
Keen served as a faculty advisor to Landis during her time in the engineering college and continues to inspire and motivate more Niner Engineers in the college’s new environmental engineering program.
Part of solution-oriented work is partnering with the right resources to expand the research capabilities. Charlotte Water and UNC Charlotte have been close partners for years, enabling Landis to work with the city engineers to collect the needed data and begin testing her idea. “Ultimately, this work will help protect and improve public health,” said Landis.
“The partnership between our city and university is increasingly organic and relationship-driven. Together, with shared goals, we are bolder, more innovative and more expansive.”
– Victoria Watlington ‘13, ‘23 Ph.D. Systems Engineering; Equipment Innovation Director, Coca-Cola; CLT City Council,
At-Large Representative
Taking the next step
Landis and her team are seeking additional funding from the National Science Foundation to further explore proof of concept.
In fall 2024, she began a Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan, where she will expand her environmental research. Meanwhile, she is continuing to work with Charlotte Water to gather data on microplastics in the water environment.
