Few travelers consider the middle seat to be the best spot on a road trip. We often think of it as cramped and crowded, without even a window or headrest to use for a nap. A ride in the middle seat usually results from losing a coin flip or drawing the shortest straw, and we do our best to keep it fair by ensuring every passenger does at least a bit of time in this undesirable position. However, for four days, I called the middle seat my home as we journeyed from Moss Landing, CA down the Baja Peninsula toward a small island known as El Pardito. Over those four days, I learned the valuable lessons that the middle seat has to offer about centering yourself in the moment and enjoying the ride.
As we headed south toward La Paz, each mile brought something new to see: a new landscape, a new town, a new form of life. While the middle seat may not offer a window to nap against, it provides a central all-around view of the journey through every window. I could look to the side at the layered mountains and spined plants of the Baja deserts. This view gave a fleeting glance of the present as boulders, boojum trees, and the occasional cow or donkey went flying by. For a look at where we had come from, I would turn around and see the colorful buildings and crowded streets of the town we had passed through. This view of the past offered an opportunity to reflect on the new culture and community in which we had immersed ourselves with every interaction in this new place. And as I peered through the windshield at the turquoise water ahead, I caught a glimpse of the adventure to come where the road would turn to ocean and we would trade trucks and vans for pangas in the final stretch to El Pardito.
A stretch of desert on the final miles of the drive.
Not only did the middle seat center me in time and space, but it surrounded me with all my traveling companions. Being in the middle creates a direct line to every other seat in the van, and it gave me the chance to chat, sing, laugh, and build connections with each of my classmates. Time in the classroom may have allowed us to learn about each other’s research interests, but time in the van allowed us to learn about each other. Through music, conservation, games, and endless laughter, a diverse group of people filled over a thousand miles with friendship, family, and unforgettable memories.
A roadside photo opportunity.
The middle seat gets a bad reputation, and in many cases rightfully so. It does not offer the most leg room. Naps do not come easily. And it is not the epitome of comfort. But do not let these shortcomings blind you to the magic that comes with time spent in the middle. On your next road trip consider using the middle seat to center yourself and connect to the people and the world around you.
Family photo in the R/T Boojum. Photo Credit: Jess Franks
Food has a remarkable ability to unite people, bridging social tensions and fulfilling communal desires. For some, it’s a basic necessity; for others, a delightful indulgence. At home, meals often follow a predictable routine, offering comfort and meeting expectations. You know whose turn it is to cook dinner, who’s on dish duty; and when you’re not in the mood for cooking, there’s always the option to order takeout. As someone who appreciates the art of cooking, and tends to indulge when it comes to food, traveling always presents unique culinary opportunities.
Our class trip to El Pardito added an extra layer of complexity to meal planning. Questions arose: What would we eat, considering everyone’s dietary needs? Who would take charge in the kitchen? And perhaps more crucially, who would do the dishes? These decisions needed to be made for every meal.
Unlike my usual routine of coffee for breakfast and leftovers for lunch, our journey demanded a different approach. To capture the reality of our food journey, I diligently recorded our culinary delights in my notebook. On road trip days, we ate tacos for lunch—the first day in Ensenada with Alison Haupt, and the second day we had fried fish tacos on the way down to Guerrero Negro. We (Scott) liked that taco stand so much that we stopped there again on the road trip back up the peninsula. Our first dinner was at Gonzo in Carlsbad, CA, featuring spectacular ramen—a much needed energy boost after a full day on the road. Crossing into Mexico, our first homemade dinner of burritos was prepared in the parking lot of the only hotel in Guerrero Negro with vacancies on Easter weekend.
On El Pardito, dinner was prepared by Sofia y Simon, supplemented with a salad prepared by whoever was on food group that day. Sofia y Simon, a kind and welcoming couple residing on the island, welcomed our attempts at Spanish, told us stories of their past, and facilitated our communal meals with their beautiful palapa and culinary abilities.
Every night unfolded with a familiar rhythm: the food group gathering an hour before dinner to prepare the salad, Simon and Sofia guiding us through meal prep—often involving warming tortillas or crafting tofu and chickpea dishes for our vegetarian friends. Once the culinary stage was set, we meticulously arranged the dining area underneath the palapa, playing with the feng shui of the tables on several occasions. Finally, Simon rings the bell, everyone else climbs the stairs to the palapa, and Simon brings out dinner.
Each evening’s menu boasted comforting staples like arroz y frijoles, ensuring solid digestive movements, and fresh fish caught by the island’s fisherman. One standout dish that left a lasting impression was the yellowtail (“Jurel”) sashimi. The tale of its catch—a spontaneous fishing excursion by Michael resulting in a bountiful catch—added a delightful twist to our culinary adventures. Drizzled with lime, jalapeno, and red onion, the sashimi became an instant favorite, feeding ~20 of us and offering leftovers the next day.
Mealtime wasn’t just about nourishment; it was our daily rendezvous for sharing stories, exchanging laughter, and reflecting on our day’s escapades. Our tradition of sharing the “Favorite/Coolest thing you saw today” allowed each of us to relive special moments, fostering deeper connections amidst shared experiences. These conversations seamlessly transitioned into planning our next day’s adventures and coordinating logistics—a testament to our collective endeavor and collaborative mindset.
As the evening wound down, we embraced the less glamorous yet essential task of dishwashing. While the food group bore the primary responsibility, the communal spirit often prompted others to lend a hand, reinforcing our ethos of mutual support and teamwork.
This nightly ritual, spanning about 3 hours, wasn’t a mundane chore to us. It encapsulated the heart of our journey—a time of togetherness, shared responsibilities, and the bonds that grew stronger with each passing meal. In retrospect, my favorite part of the day was the simple act of sharing meals.
Total solar eclipses over tropical reefs are a rare and exciting occurrence - There will only be 54 more total eclipses this century, and more than half of those will occur near the poles, in the middle of the ocean, or over large landmasses. In Mexico, there will only be 2 more total eclipses this century. The effects of eclipses on land are well documented, but how do animals underwater respond? We knew that we were going to experience a 90% total eclipse during our trip to Isla El Pardito in Baja California Sur for MS 273: Marine Environmental Studies of the Gulf of California and had planned to be on shore watching it with eclipse glasses. However, once we got there a few of us had a more interesting idea. Why not go for a dive during the eclipse? I was diving constantly for my project, but I really didn’t have the time to slow down and explore during my dives. I was excited to observe how animals behaved during a unique celestial event. Plus, how many people can say they went for a dive during a nearly total solar eclipse?
The Eclipse itself!
The idea of an eclipse dive had been bouncing around for a few days, but it mostly just a “wouldn’t it be fun” idea. The night before the eclipse, while we were planning the next day’s activities, I decided that I absolutely had to do it. It was a challenge to plan - we were going out on a boat that morning, and if we were delayed while returning, I might miss my chance. The eclipse peaked at 11:00 AM, and our boat would be getting back between 10:00 and 11:00. Since you always need buddies while you’re diving, I roped in one of my classmates, Jonah, and our TA, Roxy. We brought extra air tanks on our boat and decided that if we were running late, we would dive off the boat to get in the water on time. Fortunately, we timed our return perfectly and managed to get back, set up our gear on the beach, and walk into the water around 10:30.
We had great conditions starting the dive - the water was calm, clear, and warm. We swam south towards one of the deeper reefs surrounding El Pardito. Unlike most of our dives, where we were covered in transect tape reels, data slates, and other scientific equipment, this time we only had dive lights and underwater cameras. We worked our way deeper into the reef, watching and recording as the reef slowly darkened. At 11:00, the eclipse reached its totality, the point where 90+% of the sun is blocked. The water had become noticeably darker than before, and it felt like we were diving at sunset.
The light twenty feet underwater, around 11:00 AM during the totality.Wrasses swimming closer to a coral head during the eclipse, while Roxy looks at something cool in the background.
On land, eclipses cause birds to stop singing and send most small animals into hiding. The air gets colder and the light vanishes without a clear cause, an event like no other. However, without a change in temperature or other characteristics, an eclipse is just a change in the light underwater. Plenty of other things, like a storm overhead or dirt in the water, can change the amount of light underwater. It’s hard to tell how much fish respond to the eclipse vs other events as eclipses are a rare occurrence for a comprehensive analysis. To me, it seemed like the fish were more timid than usual, darting away and hiding from us. The schools of tiny wrasses that usually hovered over the corals hid closer to the rocks and inside the heads of corals. The larger fish swam away a little more quickly, and we saw less of the big predator species like snappers that usually patrol the reefs. It may not have been that unusual, but it felt like they noticed that something was different. We took photos and videos, but the dimness and change in environment doesn’t show well on camera.
The light thirty feet underwater at 11:30, after the eclipse.
It was an odd experience seeing how silent the reef felt, even with the constant burble of my scuba gear in the background. It was strangely still and slow, and even after the light started to come back, it was a little subdued. It’s hard to say if the animals really did react to the eclipse in a significant way, but it sure felt like they did. The fish around El Pardito aren’t particularly afraid of scuba divers, and usually swim right up to you. You can practically reach out and touch most fish. Pictures and videos can’t quite do justice to the experience of a sunset dive at noon.
Out of the Eclipse and Into New Environments:
As the eclipse ended, we swam deeper, through the reef towards a large sandy stretch below. We wanted to explore and see what might be down there. To our surprise, we found a rhodolith bed! Rhodoliths are calcareous red algae nodules that form on the bottom of the ocean in dense patches. This bed stretched as far as the eye could see and was full of little pebbly algae and shells. We explored the rhodolith bed for a few minutes before turning around - we had been down for about 25 minutes and only had about 50 minutes of air. As the water brightened back up, we started to see more of the usual suspects on the reef. Brightly colored wrasses schooling above the reef, parrotfish plucking bits of algae off the rocks, leopard groupers cruising around looking for a snack. As we worked our way back across the seafloor towards the island, we started to notice little “piles” of pufferfish. Little groups of pufferfish sleeping on top of each other in full daylight. One of these groups had multiple pufferfish aggregated in an old metal basket underwater, with all the puffers clustered around a scorpionfish. We’re not sure, but we think they went to sleep during the eclipse and hadn’t really woken back up yet. It was a fascinating moment - pufferfish are fairly solitary creatures and we were shocked to see so many in one spot.
A Scorpionfish sits next to an empty metal basket, while a pufferfish swims away in the background.A pufferfish swims in front of the camera.
Final Thoughts:
Diving during the eclipse was a unique experience and one of the coolest dives I’ve ever been on. It was a great reminder to slow down every once in a while and enjoy the environment you’re working in, instead of just hammering on your work. We found a new rhodolith bed and saw some unusual fish behavior, none of which would have happened if we hadn’t decided to take time to explore and have fun. Our trip to El Pardito was an experience of a lifetime, and the kind of education you can never get in a classroom. I’ll remember my eclipse dive for the rest of my life. It really goes to show the value of a unique experience like MS 273, and how the best education comes from going outside and seeing the world.
I had never heard of rhodoliths before our Baja Course (MS273 Marine Environmental Studies of the Gulf of California), but by the time we left El Pardito those little pink calcified wonders had left me absolutely awestruck; rhodolith beds truly are a special place. So what are rhodoliths? Rhodoliths are macroalgal ecosystem engineers that support high levels of marine biodiversity. These small calcified coralline algae are unattached (i.e., free-living) and non-geniculate (i.e., non-jointed, unlike some forms of branching coralline algae). Rhodoliths can cluster together to form beds, or individual nodules can fuse together to form larger conglomerates. Since rhodoliths have a complex branching thalli structure, they provide habitat to a diverse and unique array of associated species; they’re like small, calcified tumbleweeds rolling through soft, sandy bottoms and collecting organisms as they grow. On top of being an important biogenic habitat, rhodoliths provide ecosystem services like water filtration, maintenance of marine pH levels, climate regulation processes, and production of dissolved organic carbon and calcium carbonate.
For eleven days, we called the tiny island known as El Pardito home. Found in the Gulf of California and located about 90 km North of La Paz, the island was vibrant. Brightly painted palapas accented the clear teal water that filled the horizon. Even though we were as close to paradise as I’d ever experienced, it wasn't always easy. Days in the field were long and tiring as we woke up around 5-6 AM every day to check weather reports so we could plan our schedules accordingly. Most mornings I needed to take a second to adapt my plan and go with the flow, which is easier said than done when it comes to collecting data on a time crunch. We were living on island time; the ocean dictated our schedules so all we could rely on was each other.
On the island, we quickly started to grow into a functional and supportive family. After spending three days trapped in cars, you would've thought that we had enough of each other, and if anything, resembled a dysfunctional family. But we were building a community, working together to achieve this unified goal of traveling and experiential learning. We woke up together, we ate breakfast together, we worked in the “lab” together, and together we were able to make these strong new connections to one another. Although at times we were fighting elements like high winds, heat, and swarms of bugs, Isla El Pardito was a refuge for us Moss Landing students; we supported one another despite our
cohort year, thesis research, or lab affiliation. Our ability to accomplish so much in such a short period of time taught me the importance of community building and collaboration.
The unifying structure of rhodoliths taught me more about community than I could have ever imagined. Although rhodolith morphology is diverse, with structures being uniquely characteristic and highly differentiated, they still roll on together. They create a habitat brimming with opportunity for life to settle and form communities in unexpected places. Beds with higher rhodolith species diversity and greater abundance are able to support more biodiverse and unique infaunal associations. Our class was like a beautiful rhodolith bed filled with unique individuals, each with our own strengths and interests. Each person with a beautifully distinct “structure” that complimented each other, allowing us to create some amazing memories together. The highlight of my Baja experience was being surrounded by passionate individuals that supported not only my growth as a researcher, but my growth as a person.
As kids we all dream of going on a grand adventure. For all of us who too decided to sign up for “Marine Environmental Studies of the Gulf of California”, our grand adventure was setting out to another country with 11 people we had never traveled with for 16 days, knowing that for the majority of the time we’d be living out of small bags, not showering, and with sheets of nylon as our sturdiest barrier to the outside world while we slept.
Before we left, we all had some idea of how things would go on our trip, but I like to imagine that we all had our expectations subverted in the best way possible. Particularly, how in tune we all became with ourselves and the routines of others. It’s really interesting now to reflect on how easily we all left behind the more trivial portions of our modern-age lives, like technology.
Hiking up Isla San Fancisquito. From front to back: Haylee Bregoff, Kierstin Thigpen, Logan Early, Noah Kolander, Kelsey Montalto, Duncan Campbell, Jonah Gier, Jess Franks, and Diana Steller.
In preparation for the trip, we were advised to really be present along our journey as we drove from Moss Landing all the way to El Portugues just north of La Paz, while on the little island of El Pardito, and again on the way back up. And I don’t think any of us took it for granted. Emails, social media, and the like – which are usually integral to our lives – were all distant thoughts as we drove along watching the incredible desert landscape change along the way. Even on the island only roughly the size of two football fields in size, we wanted for not. It was truly a case of back to basics in its truest sense: eat, sleep, “go to the bathroom”, get in the water, rinse and repeat.
And you might be saying to yourself, “Well of course, this isn’t groundbreaking”. The way I see it, there are a few key reasons why we went back to basics, or rather, back to basic needs:
We had limited power and internet, so tech use was difficult to accomplish
We were physically too far away from our typical schedules/responsibilities back home to worry about them
There was only so much we could bring with us and little chance of resupply
Frankly, by the time we finished each day, all we could do was stay in tune with what our bodies needed
Twice daily tradition of brushing of teeth under the palapa together (morning here). From left to right: Kelsey Montalto and Jess Franks.
Each of us had our own method to our madness, whether that be our preferred camping style (tent, hammock, out in the open), “bathroom preference” (bucket or ocean), and even sleep schedules. And how did we entertain ourselves? Through conversation, exploration, jokes, games, and quite a bit of acapella. We even turned putting on lotion into a group activity and brushing our teeth into a game by seeing how far each of us could spit after we finished.
Even as our trip was ending, I think we all realized how special our grand adventure actually had been, and it was exactly that, grand. Now that we’re back, we’ve had to fall back into the hustle and bustle of our busy lives being torn in a million different directions with all the distractions in the world at our fingertips. Even so, we will always know what it was like to feel as if we were living in a scene of a movie at the top of a mountain, wake up earlier than we ever thought we voluntarily would (before even the alarm), have the most people aware of your bodily functions since toddlerhood, push the dinner tables together to eat “family dinner style”, and know what it means to truly get back to our basic needs.
Throughout most of recorded human history, we have not cared about the use of sunscreen. Or have we? It is now well known that the sun's rays can cause burns to the skin when left unprotected, but we have been trying to prevent such things for thousands of years. Initially, it was not to prevent cancer or getting sun spots but rather as a way to keep cool, prevent uncomfortable skin irritations, and, in some cases, prevent from looking like the lower class (Urbach 2001). Though trials were conducted in 1820, it wasn’t until 1900 that the same experiment was conducted where sunlight was split into “chemical rays” and heat. It was then that we realized that it was not just the heat that caused the burns but something different. This led to the invention of modern sunscreen derived from chestnut extract, which had been used in folk medicine for many years (Urbach 2001). Shortly after this revelation, in 1923, Coco Chanel returned from the French Riviera and accidentally tanned her skin, starting the craze of getting tan (BronzeTan.com 2020).
Fast forward to 2023, and we have more sunscreen and sunscreen ingredients than you can count with names that look like they came from an alien language. While not everyone is out trying to get a tan on the beach, everyone is directly affected by the sun's radiation every time they step outside. Fortunately, sunscreen technology has advanced to provide various types of sunscreen that can absorb or reflect the sun's rays, in addition to the wide variety of sun protection clothing that we have, there should be no reason for any of us to get burnt (Purohit 2017).
What seems like a straightforward solution to sun damage to the skin becomes less evident once you investigate the chemicals that make UV filtration possible.
There have been trials on the potential for active ingredients such as Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) to determine if this ingredient causes negative impacts (Watanabe 2015). The review found, though mixed results, altered birth weights and a decline in gestational age (Ghazipura 2017). I doubt any parent thinks that their sunscreen can cause gestational issues. Still, without further research, these products will continue to be sold and applied to the general public while potentially doing unknown harm to them.
(www.behealthynow.co.uk)
While human harm is a considerable concern, sunscreen and water are a pair that usually go together. On a deeper scale, sunscreen doesn’t stay put when applied to our bodies. Many sunscreen companies advocate applying more sunscreen after getting out of the water as it may come off in the water (Purohit 2017). When in the water, fish can bioaccumulate the active ingredients, disrupting endocrine function, altering behavior, and impacting development and reproduction (Lebaron 2022). Unfortunately, not all of these ingredients behave the same, and it is complicated to quantify each chemical's effect on every animal species. Aside from marine animals, studies examining marine algae’s response to BP-3 show decreased chlorophyll content and growth rate (Mao 2017).
Perhaps more commonly talked about is the effect that BP-3 has on corals. Each additional stressor adds to and exacerbates the preexisting problems in a changing climate. This, unfortunately, holds true for corals. Studies have demonstrated that BP-3 can damage all life stages of some species of corals and intensify the problem in the sunlight when most of the BP-3 pollution takes place (Downs 2017). The tourist industry that many island and tropical nations are built on is concurrently destroying the very thing that many tourists are coming to see.
This complexity intensifies the decision-making process when buying sunscreen. It involves not only considering the chemical impact of sunscreen on your body for cancer prevention or sunburn protection but also considering the broader environmental context. The ongoing issue of sunscreen-related pollutants in the environment has prompted some individuals to proactively address the matter, advocating for chemical removal methods directly from the environment.
There has been some success in wastewater treatment plants. BP-3 coming from pharmaceuticals and personal care products. The study used diammonium salt, a synthetic mediator, and acetosyringone, a natural mediator, which removed BP-3 to below a detectable level in just a couple of hours (Garcia 2011). There have also been pushes to use constructed wetlands to adsorb the chemicals or reduce them through biodegradation or plant uptake (Ilyas 2020).
Regardless of how we keep these chemicals from entering the ocean, one thing is certain: it must be done. Fortunately, ad campaigns have been somewhat successful, enacting specific chemical bans leading to lowered detection levels (Miller 2021). Sadly, there are no marketing standards or repercussions for mislabeling a bottle of sunscreen as “Reef Safe.” A study done in 2020 found that of the 52 products with a “Reef Safe” label, 48% of them contained a NOAA-specified “Reef Toxic” ingredient (Chi-Han 2020).
Further digging can reveal ingredients classified as non-hazardous (Miller 2021), but finding products containing only the listed ingredients can be difficult.
Even if you could find ingredients on the list provided in the Miller 2021 paper, that still does not mean that they are 100% reef and organism-safe. Chemicals affect different organisms in various ways, and currently, there is no standardized test that chemicals go through to determine if they are safe. The percentages of active ingredients differ from product to product, making classification more difficult. Is a 25% zinc oxide sunscreen better than a 4% BP-3 sunscreen? Without more research, these questions remain unanswered.
On sunscreen websites, the benefit to humans is frequently embellished and backed by dermatologists. Still, some scientific facts are stated without telling where they obtained their information (gowaxhead.com).
While there is still no clear answer about what sunscreen you should wear on your next outing, a few things are clear. More research is needed that should be performed by the companies that are advocating for their chemical use. Some sunscreens may be a better option such as non-nano zinc-oxide sunscreen, but overall, we must rethink sun protection and emphasize using material sun protection such as long-sleeved shirts, hats, and sunglasses.
(www.prevention.com)
References
BronzeTan.com. (2020, January 30). A Brief History of the Tan. Bronze Tan St. Louis. https://bronzetanstl.com/brief-history-tan/#:~:text=In%201923%20after%20accidentally%20tanning,and%20rebellions%20against%20Victorian%20values.
Chia-Han Yeh, M., Tsai, T. Y., & Huang, Y. C. (2020). Evaluation of ‘“reef safe”’ sunscreens: Labeling and cost implications for consumers. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 82(4), 1013–1015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2019.10.059
Downs, C. A., Kramarsky-Winter, E., Segal, R., Fauth, J., Knutson, S., Bronstein, O., Ciner, F. R., Jeger, R., Lichtenfeld, Y., Woodley, C. M., Pennington, P., Cadenas, K., Kushmaro, A., & Loya, Y. (2016). Toxicopathological Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3), on Coral Planulae and Cultured Primary Cells and Its Environmental Contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 70(2), 265–288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0227-7
Garcia, H. A., Hoffman, C. M., Kinney, K. A., & Lawler, D. F. (2011). Laccase-catalyzed oxidation of oxybenzone in municipal wastewater primary effluent. Water Research, 45(5), 1921–1932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2010.12.027
Ghazipura, M., McGowan, R., Arslan, A., & Hossain, T. (2017). Exposure to benzophenone-3 and reproductive toxicity: A systematic review of human and animal studies. In Reproductive Toxicology (Vol. 73, pp. 175–183). Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.08.015
Ilyas, H., & van Hullebusch, E. D. (2020). Performance comparison of different constructed wetlands designs for the removal of personal care products. In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Vol. 17, Issue 9). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093091
Lebaron, P. (2022). UV filters and their impact on marine life: state of the science, data gaps, and next steps. In Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (Vol. 36, Issue S6, pp. 22–28). John Wiley and Sons Inc. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.18198
Mao, F., He, Y., Kushmaro, A., & Gin, K. Y. H. (2017). Effects of benzophenone-3 on the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. Aquatic Toxicology, 193, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.09.029
Miller, I. B., Pawlowski, S., Kellermann, M. Y., Petersen-Thiery, M., Moeller, M., Nietzer, S., & Schupp, P. J. (2021). Toxic effects of UV filters from sunscreens on coral reefs revisited: regulatory aspects for “reef safe” products. Environmental Sciences Europe, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-021-00515-w
Purohit , M. P. (Ed.). (2017, August 1). What type of sunscreen should I purchase?. DoveMed. https://www.dovemed.com/healthy-living/wellness-center/what-type-sunscreen-should-i-purchase
Urbach, F. (2001). The historical aspects of sunscreens. In Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology (Vol. 64). www.elsevier.com/locate/jphotobiol
Watanabe, Y., Kojima, H., Takeuchi, S., Uramaru, N., Sanoh, S., Sugihara, K., Kitamura, S., & Ohta, S. (2015). Metabolism of UV-filter benzophenone-3 by rat and human liver microsomes and its effect on endocrine-disrupting activity. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 282(2), 119–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2014.12.002
Waxhead Sun Defense. (n.d.). Is zinc oxide safe? https://gowaxhead.com/blogs/the-thrive-lab/is-zinc-oxide-safe#:~:text=Zinc%20oxide%20is%20the%20only,and%20best%20active%20sunscreen%20ingredient.
Dive into Generosity: Moss Landing Marine Laboratories' Day of Giving 2024
By Hannah McGrath, MLML Oceanography Lab
Mark your calendars for the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) Day of Giving on February 13th, 2024! As a renowned marine research facility and graduate program, MLML plays a pivotal role in advancing marine science and cultivating a passion for ocean conservation. The Day of Giving provides an incredible opportunity for supporters, alumni, and ocean enthusiasts to come together and support student scholarships, research and lab operations!
Why Support MLML?
MLML has been a beacon of excellence in marine research for decades. Its interdisciplinary approach, cutting-edge research projects, and commitment to scientific outreach have made it a well known and respected institution. The funds raised during the Day of Giving will directly contribute to funding student research and opportunities including scientific diving equipment, boat time, laboratory equipment, and travel expenses to field sites and conferences (please watch the video attached to see where funds directly go).
How Can You Contribute?
There are several ways for individuals to contribute to MLML community:
Monetary Donations: Contributions will go towards scholarships, research equipment, and maintaining MLML facilities.
Spread the Word: Share MLML Day of Giving information on social media platforms. Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to join in supporting.
Engage with MLML: Attend our Open House on April 27th, 2024 from 9am - 5pm. This is a free, family-friendly event organized by MLML students and staff to engage with the surrounding community to showcase our research facilities, and share insights into marine science.
Your support on the Day of Giving will have a lasting impact for students. It will provide scholarships for student research and equip MLML with the tools and resources needed to conduct research.
Join the Day of Giving:
Mark your calendars for the Day of Giving on February 13th and the Open House on April 27th! Your generosity will significantly impact student research.
By Hannah McGrath, MLML Biological Oceanography Lab
Plastic pollution continues to be a growing issue on our planet, especially for our oceans. The global pandemic only contributed to our growing plastic problem. During the height of the pandemic, I remember walking along Riverside Park in New York City to escape my tiny apartment; the sidewalks and shorelines were littered with KN95 masks and light blue latex gloves. As I continued my walks throughout the pandemic, the sight of personal protective equipment scattered across the city became the norm. According to lead researcher Dr. Patrício Silva at the University of Aveiro, the pandemic dramatically increased the amount of plastic medical waste that has entered our aquatic systems. These plastics can then degrade into microplastics (< 5 mm in size) through physical, chemical, and biological processes which can have adverse effects on ecological and human health.
Although microplastics are small in size, they have a disproportionate effect on the environment. For instance, zooplankton which are important players in our ocean food webs and the biological carbon pump, a process that exports carbon to the deep sea, are threatened by microplastics. Zooplankton are able to consume microplastics which can damage their intestinal tracts, alter gene expression, delay growth, and impact feeding behavior resulting in decreased reproductive abilities according to lead scientist Dr. Meiting He at the College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University. Unsurprisingly, microplastics have been identified in the gut content of organisms’ at almost all trophic levels from zooplankton to humans. Microplastics are in the clothing we wear, seafood we consume, beauty products we use, and more. In fact, in a 2019 study lead author Kieran Cox, a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria, estimated that ~39,000-52,000 pieces of microplastic are ingested by humans annually!
Illustration of microplastics (MPs) entering aquatic systems and being consumed by zooplankton resulting in the trophic-transfer of MPs up the food chain (He et al 2022).
Not only is plastic pollution increasing but so is our need to adopt effective and sustainable ways for disposing plastics at a large scale. Current methods for plastic disposal are mismanaged and unsustainable. One common way to dispose of plastic is by incineration. However, during incineration plastics release carcinogens, dioxins, furans, heavy metals and sulfides into the environment states researchers Dr. Aubrey Chigwada and Dr. Memory Tekere at the University of South Africa. Another common method is dumping plastic waste into landfills but this causes plastic overflow affecting the biodiversity of the region. In addition, landfills store not only plastic waste but all types of waste that can decompose. During decomposition processes the potent greenhouse gas, methane, is released into the atmosphere which contributes to climate change. These landfills can also leak which can contaminate nearby groundwaters. Although recycling may seem like a promising way to dispose of plastics, at large scales it is too expensive and not feasible.
A more sustainable method to dispose of plastic is using microorganisms like bacteria that can biodegrade plastics. The first study that investigated microplastic degradation by microorganisms was Dr. Cacciari and his colleagues from the University of Tuscia in 1993. The researchers used the bacteria Pseudomonas and Vibrio to degrade polypropylene. Since 1993, many researchers have studied biodegradation of various plastics using bacteria from around the globe. Bacteria naturally exist in various environments from cow dung to human eyelashes to hot springs to polar ice caps making them suitable candidates for degrading microplastics. For instance, lead author Jun Yang at Beihang University, Beijing found two bacterial strains isolated from the gut of Indian mealmoths that were able to consume the plastic polyethylene.
Image of the two bacterial strains, Enterobacter asburiae and Bacillus sp. isolated from the gut of Indian meal moths (Yang et al. 2014).
Not only can bacteria naturally degrade plastics, but they can also be geoengineered to remove plastic from our oceans. Bacteria may just be nature's tiny heroes to combat plastic pollution. Currently, Professor Song Lin Chua and his colleagues at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have bioengineered the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa to remove microplastics from the environment. The researchers plan to use the sticky nature of bacteria to create “tape-like microbe nets” to capture microplastics. These microbial nets filled with microplastics then sink to the bottom of the water column. The bacteria’s biofilm dispersal gene is then engineered to release these microplastics from the biofilm traps. The bulk microplastics then float to the surface and are recycled. These preliminary experiments have been successful but have not been conducted outside of a controlled setting.
Schematic illustration of the bioengineered bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, removing microplastics from the water column using the 'capture-and-release' method developed by researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Although scientists are developing innovative ways to remove plastics from our ocean, there have been concerns about using bacteria to do this. Engineering bacteria to break down plastics especially in hot spots like the Pacific Garbage patch may reduce plastic waste, but may also have unintended consequences. For instance, breaking down microplastics may increase microplastic ingestion by other marine organisms like zooplankton that are known to consume microplastics. Another drawback is that the bacteria aeruginosa, that was used in PolyU preliminary experiments, carries diseases for humans’ states Professor Chua. Researchers are still searching for a bacterium that could be engineered that is natural and safe to humans at a large scale. But I am hopeful that scientists will find a safe and suitable candidate since bacteria are extremely abundant in the ocean. For every 1 ml of seawater there are ~1 million bacteria!
The reality is plastic pollution in the ocean is rapidly increasing. It is imperative that we find a solution to our growing plastic pollution problem sooner than later. Bacteria may just be one solution to our global plastic problem. However, more research and experimentation are still needed to understand the true benefits and consequences of genetically engineering bacteria to remove plastic from our oceans. Will bacteria be able to solve our plastic pollution problem?
References
Cacciari, I., Quatrini, P., Zirletta, G., Mincione, E., Vinciguerra, V., Lupattelli, P., Giovannozzi Sermanni, G., 1993. Isotactic polypropylene biodegradation by a microbial community: physicochemical characterization of metabolites produced. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59, 3695–3700. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.59.11.3695-3700.1993
Chigwada, A.D., Tekere, M., 2023. The plastic and microplastic waste menace and bacterial biodegradation for sustainable environmental clean-up a review. Environ. Res. 231, 116110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.116110
Cox, K.D., Covernton, G.A., Davies, H.L., Dower, J.F., Juanes, F., Dudas, S.E., 2020. Correction to human consumption of microplastics. Environ. Sci. Technol. 54, 10974–10974. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c04032
He, M., Yan, M., Chen, X., Wang, X., Gong, H., Wang, W., Wang, J., 2022. Bioavailability and toxicity of microplastics to zooplankton. Gondwana Res. 108, 120–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2021.07.021
Liu, S.Y., Leung, M.M.-L., Fang, J.K.-H., Chua, S.L., 2021. Engineering a microbial ‘trap and release’ mechanism for microplastics removal. Chem. Eng. J. 404, 127079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.127079
Patrício Silva, A.L., Prata, J.C., Walker, T.R., Duarte, A.C., Ouyang, W., Barcelò, D., Rocha-Santos, T., 2021. Increased plastic pollution due to COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and recommendations. Chem. Eng. J. 405, 126683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.126683
Yang, J., Yang, Y., Wu, W.-M., Zhao, J., Jiang, L., 2014. Evidence of polyethylene biodegradation by bacterial strains from the guts of plastic-eating waxworms. Environ. Sci. Technol. 48, 13776–13784. https://doi.org/10.1021/es504038a
