Research Proposal Essay

I have chosen to research how the biodegradation or breakdown of plastics affects aquatic life. Ideally I’d like to focus on the north Pacific Ocean area, where the great pacific garbage patch is located. I will go into the chemistry of plastic degradation down to the molecular level, and talk about physiological problems this induces on living things in the ocean. This is pretty broad, as there is thousands of chemicals and thousands of species, so I may just focus on how one specific organism is being affected by one type of pollutant. I’ll determine this when I gather all of my sources and see what a good amount of research is being done on. Depending on what I find, I may even just focus on methods that are showing to be promising in helping organisms deal with these toxins. I am interested in this because it has a great deal to do with my major, biological sciences. It also will directly relate to two classes I’m taking right now: biochemistry and animal physiology. I’d also like to be well-versed in this subject of ocean pollution and how it can be helped. I’m not entirely sure about what side to say that I’m on, but I suppose I’m on the side of the fish, animals, phytoplankton, and other creatures that have to ingest pollutants and suffer the consequences because of inconsiderate humans. The opposing side, then, is the humans who cause this major problem. My thesis could be something like “Although some ocean bacteria species have adapted mechanisms for dealing with plastic pollution, they are still being adversely affected because population sizes have decreased, the byproducts of plastic breakdown can be harmful, and often they cannot fully break down foreign materials.”
Or: “Although the effects vary in different oceans, sea bass are being negatively affected by chemical pollutants because their thyroid hormone levels are disrupted, immune systems compromised, and populations are decreasing.”

I’ve found several articles thus far relating to plastics and how they’re affecting marine life. One journal article investigates the effect that several types of plastic films have on a type of aquatic bacteria. Another one looks at a bacteria and its inability to fully break down diesel oil from tanker spills, and then proposes a system of supplemental nutrients that help them break it down entirely. There’s also an interesting article on how certain pollutants are disrupting hormone levels in sea bass. I find it especially interesting how these chemicals work their way through the food chain. Bacteria consume them, then fish consume the bacteria, larger fish consume those, and finally mammals and other large animals consume those.

I am definitely all over the place right now with this paper. I’m excited to write it and want to write about everything but I’m not entirely sure how to narrow it down. I will focus on perusing the literature that is available so I can establish a better grasp of what my paper will be on.

Sources thus far:

Schnitzler, Joseph G. "Effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants on the Thyroid Function of the European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax) from the Aegean Sea, Is It an Endocrine Disruption?" Marine Pollution Bulletin 56.10 (2008): 1755-1764.

Leonas, KK, and RW Gorden. "Bacteria Associated with Disintegrating Plastic Films Under Simulated Aquatic Environments." Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 56 (1996): 948-955.

Huang, Lei et al. "Optimization of Nutrient Component for Diesel Oil Degradation by Rhodococcus Erythropolis." Marine Pollution Bulletin 56.10 (2008): 1714-1718.