Plastic pollution is an ever-increasing environmental threat. As large-scale plastics break down to form nanoscale plastics, it is essential to investigate their effects on freshwater ecosystems. With many plastic nanoparticle (NP) studies favoring the effects of common polystyrene (PS) plastics, a gap is formed for other common plastic types like...
Plastics have become an essential part of everyone lives, found in almost every product made today. Tires only make up a fraction of these products but as their use increasing so does the microplastics that flake off. Many studies have evaluated the toxic effects of tire particles on aquatic environments...
My work in the Harper Nanotoxicology Lab focuses on science communication. The Harper Lab conducts research to address data gaps regarding the toxicity of micro and nanoplastic in the environment, specifically in aquatic habitats. It is important for the public to understand what the lab does, and how they can...
Hydrophobic titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) are prevalent in industry and manufacturing. They are known for their white pigmentation, are found in sunscreens, paints, cosmetics, and are frequently used in wastewater treatment. Understanding the physicochemical properties of TiO2 P-25 NPs, such as hydrophobicity, are essential when determining their fate, transport,...
Nanoparticles (NPs), particles defined by their size in a single dimension (1-100 nm), are being increasingly incorporated into commercial and industrial products due to their high surface area to volume ratio that gives them unique properties, such as optical tunability and higher reactivity than their bulk counterparts. NPs can be...
As nanoparticle (NP) research and development expands, the significance of NP biodistribution effects on toxicity increases. A reliable method for measuring NP biodistribution is critical. Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) is capable of accurately quantitating NP biodistribution within embryonic zebrafish with incredibly high precision. Before HSI processing, the embryo must be sectioned...
Antimicrobial agents are being increasingly used in consumer soaps and detergents, despite a lack of data demonstrating their efficacy in such products. This study investigated the nature of the interaction between different crystalline structures of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and BTC, and explore which structure, if any, could be best used...
Dendrimers are well-defined, polymeric nanomaterials currently being investigated for their biomedical applications. Initially, higher generation (size) dendrimers were of interest because of their drug carrying capacity. However, increased generation was associated with increased toxicity. The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of surface charge and generation...
Emerging data showing the presence of atmospheric microplastics (MPs) has recently raised awareness surrounding the potential of human nanoplastics (NPs) exposure. Due to factors such as weathering, UV exposure, and other biodegradation processes, plastic pollution in the environment breaks down over time into micro (<5 micrometers) and nanoscale (<1000nm) particles....