Abstract:

Our atmosphere is a homogeneous layer of gases concentrated around the Earth as a consequence of the gravitational force exerted by it. Given that, on the one hand, life on our planet would be impossible without the atmosphere, and on the other, human activities generate environmental impact across all environmental compartments of the planet, the study of atmospheric pollution is of crucial importance. Under this term, various forms of pollution are encompassed, both of physical and chemical nature. Examples of the first type are electromagnetic pollution (excessive presence of radiation from the electromagnetic spectrum) and acoustic pollution (presence of noises or vibrations, regardless of the acoustic emitter that originates them). By contrast, chemical pollution can be defined as the presence of chemical compounds as pollutants, including those widely known as greenhouse gases and persistent organic compounds, as well as other contaminants of growing concern such as microplastics, defined as small plastic pieces of no more than 5 mm in their largest dimension. Therefore, monitoring air quality, both on a global scale and in local enclosed environments, is indispensable for proper health development, to fully understand the scope of all the types of anthropogenic pollution, and ultimately to legislate appropriately on the matter.

Due to the significance and universality of the subject matter, it is tempting to address it as a Final Degree Project (FDP) within the university context, thereby enabling final year students to engage with a global and multi- and interdisciplinary real-world problem. Thus, the primary goal of this communication is to provide a pedagogical description of an FDP based on a real scientific experience about the study of airborne microparticles.

Specifically, this communication describes a case study undertaken by a final year student in the Environmental Sciences Degree of the University of La Laguna (Canary Islands, Spain), highlighting how the research project was addressed in the context of a project-based learning methodology, as well as how the FDP was structured. After mutual agreement between the student and professor to establish the research topic (airborne microplastics in indoor environments), the methodology involved conducting a literature review on the subject, designing the work plan, carrying out the experimental phase, analyzing the data, and preparing the final report, all under the continuous supervision of the professor.

As a result of these guidelines, airborne cellulosic and plastic microparticles were collected in several parts of a laboratory in the Faculty of Chemistry by means of their passive deposition in filters strategically placed. The subsequent steps involved their visualization, description, chemical elucidation, and comparison with similar particles obtained from other indoor near spaces such as the cafeteria and classrooms.

In conclusion, this communication provides a proposal that may serve as baseline for other FDPs in the area of Experimental Sciences (e.g., Chemistry and Physics) anywhere, and also as inspiration for the development of analogous Final Master’s Degree Projects in similar areas.

Keywords:

University education, undergraduate student, active learning, air contamination, environmental samples.