Research | AMRF/ORV Alguita Research Projects
- Mapping Plastic Pollution>>
- 2009 Pacific Exploration >>
- North Pacific Gyre Plankton Sample Analysis '07-'08 >>
- Biological Impact Study of Pollutants Attached to Plastic (BISPAP) >>
- General Plastic Quantification >>
- Pelagic Plastics >>
- S.E.A Lab >>
Algalita is moving full speed ahead on several research projects which will shed light on one of the most under-recognized yet ubiquitous issues facing our planet; plastic debris in our oceans. Algalita's research team is at the forefront of the investigation into plastic pollution in our oceans.
The team is examining both the scope of plastic contamination and the implications this pollution has on the food chain. The focus of Algalita's current research includes the prevalence and quantification of plastic debris in the North Pacific Sub-tropical Gyre (NPSG), biological impact of plastics on marine life and the human food chain, and the desorption of plastic toxins into the ambient ocean water.
Research Blog
Follow the ORV Alguita >> on the 2009 Pacific Exploration, a summer series of research voyages sampling plastic pollution. The first leg will depart on June 10th!
Past Projects
Past Project Spotlight: The Plastic Debris, Rivers to Sea Project: Assessing Land Based Discharges of Marine Debris. This project was a HUGE step towards a) understanding the sources of plastic marine debris from land and b) changing the industry and municipal practices that result in debris release into our oceans. Read more>>
Check out our Research Archives >>
Above: Capt. Moore removes debris from the NPSG.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plastic Pollution and the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre
Find the answers to some of the most common questons about plastic pollution and the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Read our FAQs page >>.
Bispehol-A Fact Sheet
Learn more about the uses of BPA and it's effects on human health.
Download our informative brochures:
Plastic Debris Brochure
Download our informative brochure Plastic Debris from Rivers to Sea.
- Download Plastic Debris from Rivers to Sea English
- Download Plastic Debris from Rivers to Sea Spanish
Plastics Are Forever Brochure
Download our informative brochure Plastics Are Forever.
- Download Plastics Are Forever English
- Download Plastics Are Forever Spanish
Research Papers
Research Papers for Download
- Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: A rapidly increasing, long-term threat - Moore, C.J.
- Working Our Way Upstream: A Snapshot of Land-based Contributions of Plastic and other Trash to Coastal Waters and Beaches of Southern California.- Moore, C.J., Lattin, G.L., Zellers, A.F.
- A Brief Analysis of Organic Pollutants Sorbed to Pre and Post-Consumer Plastic Particles from the Los Angeles and San Gabriel River Watersheds.- Moore, C.J., Lattin, G.L., Zellers, A.F.
- Measuring the Effectiveness of Voluntary Plastic Industry Efforts: AMRF’s Analysis of Operation Clean Sweep.- Moore, C.J., Lattin, G.L., Zellers, A.F.
- Density of Plastic Particles Found in Zooplankton Trawls from Coastal Waters of California to the North Pacific Central Gyre. - Moore, C.J., Lattin, G.L., Zellers, A.F
- A comparison of neustonic plastic and zooplankton abundance in southern California's coastal waters-Moore, C.J., Moore, S.L., Weisberg, S.B., Lattin, G.L., Zellers, A.F.
- A comparison of neutsonic plastic and zooplankton at different depths near the southern California shore -Lattin, G.L., Mooore, C.j., Zellers, A.F., Moore, S.L., Weisberg, S.B
- Persistent organic pollutants carried by synthetic polymers in the ocean environment
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 54, Issue 8, August 2007, Pages 1230-1237
Lorena M. Rios, Charles Moore, Patrick R. Jones - Chlorinated hydrocarbons in marine sediments of the Baja California (Mexico)-California (USA) border zone Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 36, Issue 1, January 1998, Pages 27-31
Efraín A. Gutiérrez-Galindo, Lorena M. Ríos Mendoza, Gilberto Flores Muñoz, Julio A. Villaescusa Celaya
Published Research list
The Published Research list contains a list of all the written material that AMRF currently has in their library for public viewing. In the first two sections of the document, these publications can be mailed to you via an email or phone request. For U.S. mail copies there is a fee of $1 per document and postage and handling fee of $5.00.