Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
Jung Lab
Led by Sungyoon Jung · Environmental Engineering Sciences
What we study
The Jung Lab studies micro- and nanoplastics in air and develops nanomaterials to clean them up. They analyze air samples and test new materials in the lab.
What working here is like
- Wet lab
- Fieldwork
- Human participants
- No organisms (data only)
- Coding helps
- Projects
- 4
- Papers
- 5
Current projects
Abundance and properties of microplastics in impacted coastal regions following 2024 Hurricanes
The lab collects water from sixteen sites in Tampa Bay and Fort Myers after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, filters it with a 25 μm sieve, and uses microscopes and chemical analysis to identify and count tiny plastic pieces between 1 μm and 5 mm. The data are being compared to pre‑storm samples to see how the storms changed plastic amounts and types.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 473
Microplastic Detection and Quantification in Human Blood Samples
The lab studies microplastics in human blood to understand health risks. They collected ten blood samples from female patients, digested them with potassium hydroxide, and used a stereomicroscope and Py‑GC/MS to identify and measure plastic types and amounts.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 428
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Optimization of a Sequential Method for Microplastic Extraction from Environmental Samples
The lab works on improving ways to pull tiny plastic pieces out of soil. The student tested a two‑step method using water followed by sodium polytungstate, found it kept good recovery rates and pulled more plastic mass than single‑step methods.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 277
Evaluating the Impact of Water Reclamation on Microplastic Concentration and Composition in a Local Creek
The lab measures microplastic levels before and after a local water‑recycling plant discharges into a creek. Students filter water, look at particles under a microscope, and identify their chemical makeup.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 96
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- DETECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROPLASTICS IN HUMAN FOLLICULAR FLUID
2026 · Fertility and Sterility
- Coastal microplastic concentrations increase after Hurricanes Helene and Milton (2024)
2026 · Scientific Reports
Finds more microplastics in Florida waters after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
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- Plastics in human reproductive tissues: A systematic review of detection, characterization, and effects on fertility
2026 · Reproductive Toxicology
- Gait Simulation Method Using the Damping Characteristics of a Linear Hydraulic Cylinder for Microprocessor-Controlled Knees
2026 · International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
- Optimization of a Sequential Method for Microplastic Extraction from Environmental Samples
2025 · Water Air & Soil Pollution
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
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