Caleb Crawford

A Thesis Presented to the Central Magnet Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Graduation Requirements

May 2025

Abstract: The Purpose of this study was to determine the effects of microplastics on the brine shrimp Artemia Franciscana. The extent to which the effects were observed was based on the amount of Shrimp alive at the end of each day in after the microplastics were introduced to the shrimp. The researcher's goal was to determine an LD50 for microplastics. The microplastics were given to the shrimp in various concentrations to narrow down the concentration that would kill 50 percent of the population. The researcher recorded each day the amount of shrimp alive and placed that number in a data set in order to compare the concentrations and to the control group. Each score was then compared to each other. The researcher found that PVC kills significantly more than Acrylic. It was also found that none of the concentrations of any of the microplastics resulted in a 50% death rate meaning an LD50 was not found. This implies that microplastics will only be dangerous as in deadly short term at extremely high concentrations. The results imply the need for a further study that is longer.