DSU students chart new territory with South Dakota microplastics research

August 27, 2026

MADISON, S.D. - A team of Dakota State University undergraduate researchers is going where no one in South Dakota has gone before - searching the state's waters for microplastics.

Working alongside DSU faculty, the students are conducting what they believe to be the first broad survey of microplastics in South Dakota waterways. The project involves collecting water and sediment samples from approximately 50 bodies of water across eastern South Dakota and analyzing them to determine whether microplastics are present and, ultimately, what types of plastics they find.

The research is a collaboration involving Dr. Andrew Sathoff, Dr. Kristel Bakker, and a team of undergraduate researchers, with support from the East Dakota Water Development District. The district became interested in expanding microplastics research in South Dakota after learning about similar work in Minnesota and previous research conducted at DSU.

For the students involved, the project provides an opportunity to conduct research that could establish an important baseline for understanding microplastic pollution in the state.

"We'd be the benchmark, the baseline of microplastic, environmental microplastic data for the entire state," said DSU student Caleb Shaw. "We don't even know what's out there, if it's out there. We have no data to go off of."

From South Dakota lakes to the laboratory

The project takes students well beyond the walls of DSU's laboratories.

Researchers travel throughout eastern South Dakota to collect samples from lakes, wetlands, and other bodies of water. Their locations have included Lake Madison, Lake Herman, Mud Lake, and Palisades State Park. The fieldwork isn't always glamorous. At Mud Lake, students found themselves sinking into thick mud while trying to reach enough water to collect their samples.

Once collected, students bring sediment samples back to DSU for a multistep process designed to isolate potential microplastics. Samples are dried and treated with hydrogen peroxide to break down organic matter such as algae, grass, and leaves. Researchers then use a saltwater solution to separate plastics from denser material.

One of the project's most significant tools is Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The technology lets researchers go beyond visually identifying suspected microplastics and determine whether particles are actually plastic and which types are present.

"Most people, it's just a plus or minus. Are the microplastics there, are they not?" Sathoff said. "Maybe some of these things that we're calling microplastics are actually organic - algae. But we're using technology, FTIR, to figure out if these plastics are actually plastics and what types of plastics are present."

That approach also lets DSU researchers examine particles that may be difficult or impossible to identify with the naked eye.

"You don't necessarily think about DSU and environmental biology research," Sathoff said. "But we are taking a technological approach to microplastics research."

Establishing a South Dakota baseline

Microplastics are small plastic particles that can persist in the environment and enter water, wildlife, and potentially the human body. Researchers are particularly interested in the smallest particles because of concerns about their potential effects on human and environmental health.

For the DSU team, one of the first challenges is simply determining what's already present in South Dakota.

Shaw joined the project before the summer fieldwork began. During the previous semester, he reviewed existing microplastics research, investigated equipment and laboratory techniques, and helped prepare DSU to undertake the larger study.

Even during that preliminary work, he found evidence that made the team eager to investigate further.

"In the very first jar I picked from Lake Madison, I was able to find a piece of microplastic," Shaw said. "We were already seeing evidence, at least, of microplastics in the lake."

Biology major Derek Moreno said establishing a baseline is important because it provides information that could inform future research, public awareness, and efforts to address microplastic pollution.

"If you do not know about something, you cannot combat it, you cannot find a solution to something you do not know," Moreno said.

Beyond documenting whether microplastics are present, the researchers hope to identify the types of plastics they find. That information could eventually be compared with other research examining potential effects on human health, animal health, and the environment.

Undergraduate research in action

The project is also giving DSU students experience with virtually every stage of scientific research, from reviewing existing literature and developing protocols to collecting samples, operating laboratory equipment, analyzing results, and potentially publishing their findings.

For senior Amelie Steins, the experience demonstrates the opportunities available to undergraduates at a smaller university.

"We have probably the best mentorship we could get here," Steins said, pointing to the low student-to-faculty ratio and access students have to sophisticated laboratory equipment. "For us as undergrads to be able to use that is pretty rare."

Younger students are also getting involved. Freshmen have volunteered alongside the primary research team, learning sampling procedures and gaining laboratory and field experience that can help prepare them for future research opportunities and internships.

Sathoff sees that accessibility as a strength of DSU's science programs. Faculty members maintain active research programs while giving undergraduate students opportunities to participate directly in their work.

"The students here just want to learn how to research," Sathoff said. "They see your passion in the classroom, and they also get excited about things as well."

The students have also developed a close working relationship through the project and their involvement in TriBeta, the biological honor society. Long sampling trips, difficult field conditions, and hours together in the laboratory have made teamwork an important part of the experience.

Moreno said the summer changed his perception of what research could be.

"I would have never known I would like research until I started doing it," he said. "I would have never known until I got my foot in the door."

For Steins, who has also experienced research in larger laboratory settings, DSU's close-knit environment has been one of the project's biggest advantages.

"You don't always have to go that far to be successful," she said. "Our research is getting published if we find good results this summer, so that's a really good career pusher, and right in front of your door."

As the team continues analyzing samples, its work could provide South Dakota with something it hasn't had before: a clearer picture of microplastics in its waterways.

For the students conducting the research, it's also an opportunity to contribute to that knowledge themselves.

"Our basic goal is to make our people aware of what's happening," Moreno said.

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