Monitoring the characteristics of microplastics and litter in the marine and coastal environment of South Africa
Microplastic Ecotoxicology
Assess the biological and ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics on marine and coastal organisms
Technology and Innovation related to Microplastics
Innovation and solutions to reducing microplastic release from fabrics in laundry systems
Microplastics in Aquaculture Systems
Microplastic in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Choromytilus meridionalis) from marine aquaculture systems in Saldanha Bay
Microplastics and Human Health
Effects of microplastics on cardiometabolic risk factors using in vitro models
Plastics: Remote Observations and Sensing
Plastic detection using satellite images, remote observations and AI segmentation tools
Ocean Accounts (OA)
CPUT is a member of the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP). Research and projects focus on data concerning environmental assets, economic activity, flow to economy, flows to the environment and social and governance conditions/contexts. The CSO is particularly focused on plastics in OA. These projects will contribute towards ocean sustainable development to enable evidence-based decision-making relating to spatial planning and ocean governance.
SUMUSANO Project
An NRF-funded project between South Africa and Norway. The research focuses on sustainable aquaculture in Saldanha Bay
Postgraduate students
The CSO hosts numerous postgraduate students in various projects.
CPUT Microplastics Laboratory (CML) capacity and facilities
The CML is a dedicated laboratory that has the capacity to digest samples and extract microplastics from aqueous solutions, sediment, and biota. The lab has a Perkin2 (ATR-FTIR) spectrophotometer with a library of more than 15000 polymers.
Applied Sciences
Business & Management Sciences
Education
Engineering & the Built Environment
Health & Wellness Sciences
Informatics & Design