Sherri Mason

Affiliate Researcher
Titles and Affiliations
Sustainability Coordinator, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

Dr. Sherri A. Mason holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Montana and is a leading researcher in freshwater plastic pollution. Her award-winning work has drawn international attention to the threats posed by microplastics and led to the passage of national measures banning microbeads. She currently serves as Director of Sustainability at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.

In the News

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Recent Publications

Current State of Microplastic Pollution Research Data: Trends in Availability and Sources of Open Data

Jenkins, T., Persaud, B. D., Cowger, W., Szigeti, K., Roche, D. G., Clary, E., Slowinski, S., Lei, B., Abeynayaka, A., Nyadjro, E. S., Maes, T., Thornton Hampton, L., Bergmann, M., Aherne, J., Mason, S. A., Honek, J. F., Rezanezhad, F., Lusher, A. L., Booth, A. M., Smith, R. D. L., & 1 othersVan Cappellen, P., Jun 30 2022, In: Frontiers in Environmental Science. 10, 912107.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Distribution, abundance and spatial variability of microplastic pollution on the surface of Lake Superior

Cox, K., Brocious, E., Courtenay, S. C., Vinson, M. R. & Mason, S. A., Oct 2021, In: Journal of Great Lakes Research. 47, 5, p. 1358-1364 7 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Global meta-analysis of microplastic contamination in reservoirs with a novel framework

Guo, Z., Boeing, W. J., Xu, Y., Borgomeo, E., Mason, S. A. & Zhu, Y. G., Dec 1 2021, In: Water Research. 207, 117828.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Spatial Distribution of Microplastics in Surficial Benthic Sediment of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie

Lenaker, P. L., Corsi, S. R. & Mason, S. A., Jan 5 2021, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 55, 1, p. 373-384 12 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

High levels of pelagic plastic pollution within the surface waters of Lakes Erie and Ontario

Mason, S. A., Daily, J., Aleid, G., Ricotta, R., Smith, M., Donnelly, K., Knauff, R., Edwards, W. & Hoffman, M. J., Apr 2020, In: Journal of Great Lakes Research. 46, 2, p. 277-288 12 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Vertical Distribution of Microplastics in the Water Column and Surficial Sediment from the Milwaukee River Basin to Lake Michigan

Lenaker, P. L., Baldwin, A. K., Corsi, S. R., Mason, S. A., Reneau, P. C. & Scott, J. W., Nov 5 2019, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 53, 21, p. 12227-12237 11 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Anthropogenic contamination of tap water, beer, and sea salt

Kosuth, M., Mason, S. A. & Wattenberg, E. V., Apr 2018, In: PloS one. 13, 4, e0194970.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Synthetic Polymer Contamination in Bottled Water

Mason, S. A., Welch, V. G. & Neratko, J., Sep 11 2018, In: Frontiers in Chemistry. 6, 407.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Microplastic in riverine fish is connected to species traits

McNeish, R. E., Kim, L. H., Barrett, H. A., Mason, S. A., Kelly, J. J. & Hoellein, T. J., Dec 1 2018, In: Scientific reports. 8, 1, 11639.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Determination of the gut retention of plastic microbeads and microfibers in goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Grigorakis, S., Mason, S. A. & Drouillard, K. G., Feb 1 2017, In: Chemosphere. 169, p. 233-238 6 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

The occurrence of microplastic contamination in littoral sediments of the Persian Gulf, Iran

Naji, A., Esmaili, Z., Mason, S. A. & Dick Vethaak, A., Sep 1 2017, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 24, 25, p. 20459-20468 10 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Plastic Debris in 29 Great Lakes Tributaries: Relations to Watershed Attributes and Hydrology

Baldwin, A. K., Corsi, S. R. & Mason, S. A., Oct 4 2016, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 50, 19, p. 10377-10385 9 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Microplastic pollution is widely detected in US municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent

Mason, S. A., Garneau, D., Sutton, R., Chu, Y., Ehmann, K., Barnes, J., Fink, P., Papazissimos, D. & Rogers, D. L., Nov 1 2016, In: Environmental Pollution. 218, p. 1045-1054 10 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Pelagic plastic pollution within the surface waters of Lake Michigan, USA

Mason, S. A., Kammin, L., Eriksen, M., Aleid, G., Wilson, S., Box, C., Williamson, N. & Riley, A., Aug 1 2016, In: Journal of Great Lakes Research. 42, 4, p. 753-759 7 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Microplastic contamination in the San Francisco Bay, California, USA

Sutton, R., Mason, S. A., Stanek, S. K., Willis-Norton, E., Wren, I. F. & Box, C., Aug 15 2016, In: Marine pollution bulletin. 109, 1, p. 230-235 6 p.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review