{"id":107368,"date":"2026-01-28T19:07:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T19:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/?post_type=news&#038;p=107368"},"modified":"2026-06-18T19:19:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T19:19:16","slug":"uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/","title":{"rendered":"USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-103672 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/27173024\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg\" alt=\"grupo de personas mira de frente a la c\u00e1mara\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/27173024\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/27173024\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/27173024\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n (USS), through its Faculty of Science, has developed a research project in collaboration with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stanford.edu\/\"><strong>Stanford University<\/strong><\/a>, aimed at studying microplastic pollution and its effects on the marine food web of the Patagonian fjords. The initiative is led by Dr. <a href=\"http:\/\/Lara Marcus,\">Lara Marcus<\/a>, a biologist, academic, and researcher at the USS Patagonia Campus. As part of the project, she hosted a team of Stanford University researchers for a ten-day joint scientific field campaign.<\/p>\n<p>This international collaboration builds on an ongoing academic partnership between Dr. Marcus and Dr. Manu Prakash of Stanford University that began in 2017. In 2023, they jointly developed a citizen science project that used the Foldscope\u2014a paper-based microscope invented by Prakash\u2014to monitor harmful algal blooms. The initiative, called <em>Sea-Watchers<\/em>, was funded through a public engagement grant and aimed to establish local environmental observers to support marine conservation.<\/p>\n<h4>Impact of Microplastics on the Marine Food Web<\/h4>\n<p>This research seeks to evaluate:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The extent of microplastic pollution in Chilean Patagonia.<\/li>\n<li>The distribution of microplastics throughout the water column.<\/li>\n<li>The identification of their main sources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cUnderstanding how this pollution affects the marine food web and evaluating ecosystem health, as well as its potential impact on human populations, is essential,\u201d explained Dr. Marcus.<\/p>\n<p>The researcher emphasized that this type of pollution affects organisms across multiple trophic levels. \u201cMicroplastics can be ingested by microscopic organisms such as zooplankton, as well as by large species such as whales. In addition, plastics release toxic chemical compounds that can affect marine ecosystem health and may pose potential risks to humans,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<h4>Fieldwork and Capacity Building<\/h4>\n<p>As part of the project, the research vessel <strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/periodico.uss.cl\/centinela\/\">Centinela I<\/a><\/strong>, conducted a scientific expedition to collect samples from the inland sea of Chilo\u00e9 and the Reloncav\u00ed area.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese are highly productive ecosystems that are subject to significant anthropogenic pressure. Therefore, we are focusing our sampling efforts on areas where substantial microplastic accumulation is expected,\u201d said Dr. Marcus.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers collected water samples and representative organisms from different levels of the food web, including phytoplankton, fish, shellfish, and biopsy samples from marine mammals. The objective is to determine whether microplastics are already being ingested by these organisms and whether toxic compounds are bioaccumulating in their tissues. Such accumulation could cause cellular, physiological, and reproductive effects, with important implications for both ecosystem and human health.<\/p>\n<p>The Stanford researchers\u2019 visit also included work at the scientific station of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundacionhuinay.com\/\"><strong>San Ignacio del Huinay<\/strong><\/a> Foundation, located in Comau Fjord, with participation from the Fisheries Development Institute (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifop.cl\/es\/\"><strong>Instituto de Fomento Pesquero<\/strong><\/a>). According to Dr. Marcus, \u201cThe main objective of this campaign is to understand primary production dynamics throughout the water column in the Patagonian fjords and to evaluate how these processes are being modified by climate change and other anthropogenic pressures.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A central component of the collaboration with Stanford University is technology transfer and specialized training for the Chilean research team in the use of advanced microscopy equipment and plankton monitoring techniques.\u00a0\u201cThis process will allow us to incorporate these technologies in Chile and strengthen local capacities for studying and monitoring Patagonian marine ecosystems,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n<h4>Participating Team<\/h4>\n<p>The scientific team includes researchers from several national and international institutions and is led by Dr. Lara Marcus.\u00a0Representing Stanford University are Dr. Manu Prakash and researchers Charlotte Branon and Alexander Lefell. Dr. Jorge Mardones participates on behalf of the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP), while Dr. Jos\u00e9 Luis Iriarte represents the Austral University of Chile.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web. Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n (USS), through its Faculty of Science, has developed a research project in collaboration with Stanford University, aimed at studying microplastic pollution and its effects on the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","headquarters":[3],"faculty":[31],"other_categories":[185,147],"class_list":["post-107368","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","headquarters-patagonia","faculty-ciencias","other_categories-direccion-de-internacionalizacion","other_categories-relaciones-internacionales"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"USS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-18T19:19:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/\",\"name\":\"USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-28T19:07:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-18T19:19:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/\",\"name\":\"Portal Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n\",\"description\":\"Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"Portal USS\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n\",\"alternateName\":\"USS\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/14190951\/favicon-uss.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/14190951\/favicon-uss.png\",\"width\":216,\"height\":213,\"caption\":\"Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords","description":"The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords","og_description":"The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/","og_site_name":"USS","article_modified_time":"2026-06-18T19:19:16+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/","url":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/","name":"USS and Stanford University Study Microplastics in Patagonia\u2019s Fjords","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg","datePublished":"2026-01-28T19:07:10+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-18T19:19:16+00:00","description":"The initiative, led by Dr. Lara Marcus, combines fieldwork, technology transfer, and international scientific cooperation to evaluate the impact of microplastics on the marine food web.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/noticias\/uss-stanford-microplastics-patagonia\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USS-colabora-con-Stanford-en-investigacion-sobre-microplasticos-en-fiordos-de-la-Patagonia-3.jpeg"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/","name":"Portal Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n","description":"Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#organization"},"alternateName":"Portal USS","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#organization","name":"Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n","alternateName":"USS","url":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/14190951\/favicon-uss.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.uss.cl\/content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/14190951\/favicon-uss.png","width":216,"height":213,"caption":"Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/107368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/107368\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107700,"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/107368\/revisions\/107700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"headquarters","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/headquarters?post=107368"},{"taxonomy":"faculty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/faculty?post=107368"},{"taxonomy":"other_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uss.cl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/other_categories?post=107368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}