The Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established by Captain Charles Moore, Founder of Algalita Marine Research and Education. It is dedicated to expanding knowledge surrounding the impact of plastic pollution in our environment. Currently equipped with two state of the art microscopes, our laboratory will focus on micro and nano plastics research and their threat to the Biosphere worldwide.
After 20 years of Captain Moore’s research in the North Pacific and the South Pacific Gyre, in 2018 it became clear that plastic has not only invaded our oceans, but our food, drink and bodies at the nanoscale. While Algalita continues to study and communicate to all sectors with well-respected curriculum, teaching materials and experiential learning, it was not positioned to research and evaluate nanoscale plastic pollutants.
In 2019 Algalita joined 34 international laboratories in a method standardization and evaluation study. Through this association it became apparent that the complexity of nano plastic analytical techniques merited a singular field of research to focus directly on these minute particles. Thus, the Moore Institute was born.