Tennessee Aquarium
A Shared Vision
iSustain is proud to have partnered with the Tennessee Aquarium for several years now in the fight to keep plastics out of streams, rivers, and oceans. The Tennessee Aquarium’s mission to connect people with nature and empower them to make informed decisions about water and wildlife wholly aligns with iSustain’s mission to support programs that protect the environment and preserve natural resources.
Microplastics Research
Our ongoing sustainability efforts lead the way in the Tennessee Aquarium’s fight to keep plastic waste out of streams, rivers, and the ocean. Our partnership extends that support to local watershed initiatives and aids in ongoing microplastic research.
A study by Dr. Andreas Fath of Furtwangen University found that the water near the surface of the Tennessee River contains microplastic concentrations 80 times higher than those found in Germany’s Rhine River. As a result, the Tennessee Aquarium and its partners joined forces to better understand and combat the problem. Dr. Fath said that while the reason for so many microplastics is unknown, it may be a byproduct of decomposition from large plastic waste in the landfills that ultimately finds its way into our waterways.
The majority of microplastic research has focused on the marine environment to date, thus scientific funding to better understand the multifaceted challenges of microplastics in freshwater has never been more important. Through their collaboration with Dr. Andreas Fath and others, the team at the Tennessee Aquarium is investigating:
- Sources of microplastics
- Microplastic distribution throughout the water column
- Potential impacts of microplastics on freshwater aquatic organisms
iSustain’s Commitment
iSustain remains committed to the Tennessee Aquarium, providing financial support to the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute in the fight against microplastics. Together, iSustain and the Tennessee Aquarium will continue working to keep plastics out of the streams, rivers, and oceans of the world.