A Practical Introduction to Environmental Microplastics
Master the complete workflow in microplastics research: from environmental sampling in the field to accessible laboratory analysis.
*Limited to 15 participants
In collaboration with

Introduction
This intensive five-day course offers a practical introduction to sampling microplastics in the environment, extracting microplastics from environmental samples, identifying them visually, and analysing the associated data.
The course also covers essential quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures, with an emphasis on methodologies that are accessible and applicable across different environmental research contexts.
This is an international workshop, limited to 15 participants, and all instruction will be in English.
From Wednesday to Wednesday so participants can enjoy the city during the weekend.
Participant profile
Aimed at postgraduate, undergraduate students ay higher levels, and professionals in:
Aimed at postgraduate and undergraduate students at higher levels in:
Participants should ideally have a background in science or related disciplines and hold a bachelor's degree (or be in their final year of a bachelor's degree programme). Ideally, participants should also be familiar with general field sampling and laboratory techniques.
To participate in the workshop, please complete the application form. The workshop fee is $2,388,750 COP. Once we receive your application, you will be sent confirmation of your participation. The next workshop is scheduled for June 2027; please let us know if you would prefer to attend on that date instead. "Contact us" jpaniag@eafit.edu.co jaherne@trentu.ca
Application deadline: 15 October 2026
Methodology
The practical workshop will include:
Lectures, seminars, group discussions, fieldwork, laboratory practices, and collaborative activities and projects.
Participants will gain practical experience both in the field, through microplastic sampling, and in the laboratory, where they will learn techniques for extracting and identifying microplastics in environmental samples.
They will then apply this knowledge in an independent group project.
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the principles of QA/QC in microplastics research
- Collect representative environmental samples of air, water, and sediment for microplastics analysis
- Apply microplastics extraction methods to environmental samples
- Identify microplastics using different analytical techniques
- And analyse and interpret microplastics data.
Curriculum Overview
Programme
The workshop is organised into six sessions:
Day 01. Introduction to microplastic pollution and sampling
Introduction to microplastic pollution
Introductions and course objectives
What are microplastics and macroplastics?
Microplastics in the environment: the environmental cycle of microplastics
Workflow: from environmental sampling to data analysis
Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC)
Environmental sampling: fundamentals of representative sampling
Environmental sampling on the EAFIT campus
QA/QC applied to fieldwork
Water sampling methods
EAFIT Creek (integrated sample, high volume, size selection)
Air sampling methods
Biomonitoring using plants
Sediment sampling methods
Day 02. Extraction and identification of microplastics
Fundamentals of laboratory analysis
QA/QC applied to laboratory work
Experimental practices:
Elimination of organic matter (digestion)
Extraction from water samples (filtration)
Extraction from sediments (density separation)
Microscopic analysis
Hot needle test (polymer identification)
Day 03. Microplastic data analysis and independent projects
Units of measurement for microplastics
Image analysis using ImageJ
Conversion of counts to mass concentrations
Formation of project working groups
Development of independent group projects
Design of your project QA/QC plan
Day 04. Independent projects
Field sampling on the EAFIT campus
Laboratory analysis of microplastics
Guest lectures on microplastic case studies
Day 05. Presentation of independent projects
Final analysis of group projects
Presentation of results
Course review and wrap-up
A Practical Introduction to Environmental Microplastics | Nodo — EAFIT University
Five-day international workshop in Medellín, Colombia: field sampling, laboratory extraction, and data analysis of environmental microplastics, with accessible QA/QC methods. Applications close 15 October 2026.