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Citizen Science in Action: Penn Students Tackle Water Pollution in Cobbs Creek

Earlier this month, 15 enthusiastic students from the University of Pennsylvania joined forces to participate in a hands-on citizen science project aimed at investigating microplastic pollution and removing trash from the Cobbs Creek watershed. Armed with mason jars, gloves, and an environmental mission, our teams worked systematically to collect water samples and clean up the surrounding areas — making a meaningful impact on both scientific research and the health of the local ecosystem.

 

Legacy trash left downstream of Naylor's Run

 

A Two-Part Mission: Sampling and Stewardship

Understanding environmental systems requires both data collection and active stewardship. Our students embraced both roles during this exercise. The project was designed not only to gather real-world data on microplastics (MPs) but also to familiarize students with hypothesis-driven research methods.

Each team, composed of a sampler, a collector, and a scribe, set out to five different locations along Cobbs Creek. Following a coordinated plan, the samplers carefully gathered water replicates from the center and sides of the stream, while collectors removed visible trash from the banks and creek bed. Scribes documented the entire process through photographs and detailed notes, providing a robust record for future analysis.

Importantly, to minimize contamination of our microplastic samples, students were instructed to avoid synthetic clothing. Those wearing synthetic materials recorded their fabric type and color for quality assurance in data interpretation.

Statistics of trash picked up at the 4 sampling locations - (1) Upstream before bridge, (2) Upstream after bridge, (3) Naylors run, & (4) Downstream after confluence. Uploaded onto MDMAP.

 

A Mountain of Trash — and Some Surprises

At the end of the day, the 4 teams came together to tally their findings. In total, we collected an incredible 10 trash bags weighing a combined 71.3 kilograms (about 157 pounds) of debris from the Cobbs Creek area.

Among the usual suspects — plastic bottles, food wrappers, and beverage cans — we also uncovered some unexpected items, including:

1. A bike seat

2. A bike wheel

3. A golf club

4. A shovel head

5. A sandbag

 

Each piece of trash tells a story about human impact on our waterways and highlights the importance of both proactive cleanup and ongoing environmental research.

 

 

From the Creek to the Lab

The adventure didn't end at the water's edge. Back at Penn, the water samples were transported for lab analysis. Using Nile Red, a fluorescent dye that binds to microplastics, the samples will be stained and processed to enumerate microplastic particles. These images were processed using Fluorescence Imaging Microplastic Analysis Platform (FIMAP), which allows for the objective detection and counting of selectively fluorescent microplastics down to 25 microns. This method has been robust and has been tested on several matrixes, ranging from - water, soil, sludge and even biota, with remarkable success. 

Nile Red stained Microplastics (Red) - 18 particles larger than 40 microns

 

At the end of the semester, students reconvened to collectively analyze the data they had collected. Unlike most citizen science projects, which are primarily contributory, this open-ended approach—allowing the public to present and test their own hypotheses about microplastic distribution across Cobbs Creek—was co-led and co-created by the students. With guidance from Dr. Hawkings and Dr. Ho, participants were able to collaboratively interpret the data and contextualize their findings through their personal, on-the-ground experiences.

 

Through this process, they gained valuable experience in environmental research, data interpretation, and scientific communication—essential skills for tomorrow’s environmental leaders.  Additionally, all trash data from the cleanup was uploaded to the NOAA Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) database, contributing to a nationwide effort to track and address marine debris.

 

 

A Step Toward Cleaner Waterways

 

So how did the participants reflect on this Citizen Science project?

Their responses highlighted a deeper awareness of environmental issues and a personal connection to the data they helped collect. One student shared,

 

"Really made me think about the direct impact dumping and pollution have on such hidden natural spaces within our cities. Really one of the first times I've seen such levels of pollution almost integrated into the natural environment at this level, which just puts an image to the discussions of microplastics and the impact of pollution on our biological systems and food chains."

 

This reflection illustrates how experiential learning can move abstract environmental concepts into tangible understanding. By directly engaging with polluted sites and analyzing real data, students began to see the broader ecological consequences of human activity.

Another participant remarked,

 

"Waste and pollution is a big deal. Although we haven't seen any animals in our area, there is a significant amount of trash in the waterways that would have devastating impacts on water-based ecosystem. I did feel eager to take more trash out!|

 

This project demonstrates the power of citizen science: by combining environmental inquiry with direct action, we can better understand and mitigate human impacts on aquatic systems. We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication, curiosity, and commitment to making a difference — and we look forward to sharing the microplastic analysis results soon!

 

Penn Students from "Our Water Planet" ft Dr. Jon Hawkings, Dr. Derek Ho & Jazmin Ricks