One major research by NERI is the development of plastic waste into bituminous pavement as one of the main materials for road construction. Led by Associate Professor Ong Ghim Ping Raymond, this research is targeting to identify the potential specifications that meet structural, functional, safety, urban cooling, noise and environmental performances that are typically required for most urban cities in developed countries. Moreover, this research team has secured an additional grant to investigate the air quality and emissions related to using waste plastics on bituminous pavement surfaces, as well as the recyclability of plastic-modified bituminous mixtures. They are also actively participating in forums within the asphalt pavement industry across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and North America.
NERI is the first to produce seasonal coastal microplastic report in Southeast Asia, which provide spatiotemporal information for pollution source apportionment, model prediction and mitigation planning under tropical circumstances.Furthermore, the team also discovered the effect of microplastic on oceanic biota, which on the research, the biota observed is tropical keystone mussel species, Perna viridis. The found an increased biological impairment of them with the presence of finer microplastics (polystyrene (PS) particles, 0.5 μm > 5 μm > 50 μm). It indicated that the presence of microplastics could potentially heighten the mussels' susceptibility to additional environmental stressors.
NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) is a research institute under National University of Singapore (NUS), established in 2007. Collaborating with government, industry, NGOs and leading academic partners, NERI aims to be a leading global institute for interdisciplinary research and education by developing sustainable solutions for the environment.
One major research by NERI is the development of plastic waste into bituminous pavement as one of the main materials for road construction. Led by Associate Professor Ong Ghim Ping Raymond, this research is targeting to identify the potential specifications that meet structural, functional, safety, urban cooling, noise and environmental performances that are typically required for most urban cities in developed countries. Moreover, this research team has secured an additional grant to investigate the air quality and emissions related to using waste plastics on bituminous pavement surfaces, as well as the recyclability of plastic-modified bituminous mixtures. They are also actively participating in forums within the asphalt pavement industry across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and North America.
NERI is the first to produce seasonal coastal microplastic report in Southeast Asia, which provide spatiotemporal information for pollution source apportionment, model prediction and mitigation planning under tropical circumstances.Furthermore, the team also discovered the effect of microplastic on oceanic biota, which on the research, the biota observed is tropical keystone mussel species, Perna viridis. The found an increased biological impairment of them with the presence of finer microplastics (polystyrene (PS) particles, 0.5 μm > 5 μm > 50 μm). It indicated that the presence of microplastics could potentially heighten the mussels' susceptibility to additional environmental stressors.
Research Institutes
NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) is a research institute under National University of Singapore (NUS), established in 2007. Collaborating with government, industry, NGOs and leading academic partners, NERI aims to be a leading global institute for interdisciplinary research and education by developing sustainable solutions for the environment.
