VIRGINIA BEACH — Armed with magnifying glasses and small jars, about a dozen Portsmouth middle schoolers dug into the sand Wednesday at the Oceanfront. Squatting, they used the jars to collect samples and dump them into plastic bags, where they could spread out the sand and examine it. Those collecting water samples ran into the ocean with their bottles.
The students were looking for microplastics as part of the weeklong Camp Answer environmental science program. The camp allows students to study a community problem and develop solutions. This year, they were studying littering.
“This is a camp that brings out thinkers and doers,” said Monique Taylor, who has taught Camp Answer for four years. Taylor takes students to sites and on neighborhood walks to track litter and check for microplastics — tiny bits of plastic that result from degraded plastic items such as bottles. They can be harmful to wildlife and aquatic animals.
The students use an app — Marine Debris Tracker — to log the litter. They bring samples back to the classroom to check them under a microscope. One of the biggest hits is when they check food from fast food locations.
“Once they’ve seen it — oh boy, the spark is now here,” she said. Malik Jones, 12, said as he pulled apart a chicken nugget under a microscope and saw strings of microplastics inside. He had one word for the discovery: “Disgusting.
” Studies have found that microplastics can get into processed food through conveyor belts.