Exploring Estuaries: Fieldwork on the South Carolina Coast
- Kylie Rock
- Apr 24
- 3 min read
By Zachary Padgett
In March 2025, I traveled to the South Carolina coast for a week of fieldwork in two of the region’s dynamic estuarine systems—Charleston Harbor and St. Helena Sound. I was joined by two undergraduate researchers, Matt and Romina, who jumped into the work of collecting water and sediment samples with enthusiasm and curiosity.
As a graduate student in environmental toxicology at Clemson University, my research investigates how microbial communities in estuarine environments respond to chemical pollutants. I’m especially focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of persistent and potentially harmful chemicals that are increasingly found in aquatic ecosystems.
This trip was an essential step forward in my PFAS and microbial community analyses, allowing us to gather fresh samples and environmental data in the field. But beyond the research itself, it was also a valuable opportunity for mentorship—Matt and Romina got their first taste of environmental fieldwork, from handling sampling gear to preparing sediment samples for aerobic and anaerobic culture. Watching them develop their skills and confidence over the course of the week was one of the most rewarding parts of the trip.
These coastal ecosystems are not only beautiful—they're also incredibly complex, and understanding how pollution impacts their microbial life is critical for long-term conservation. I'm excited to see where the data leads us next.
To collect sediment samples from Charleston Harbor and St. Helena Sound, we used a Young-modified Van Veen Grab—a trusty tool for sampling soft-bottom sediments in aquatic environments. At each site, we performed three grabs to ensure consistency and capture a representative slice of the estuarine sediment profile.
Romina took the lead on managing our field data sheets and carefully collected subsamples from each grab for site characterization and future DNA extraction. Meanwhile, Matt and I focused on the surface sediment layers. Matt worked to preserve aerobic conditions in his samples, while I purged mine with nitrogen gas to create the anaerobic environment necessary for microbial culturing back in the lab.
It was a smooth and efficient system, and everyone had a clear role—making the most of our time in the field and setting the stage for robust downstream analyses.
Back on shore after a day on the water, Matt and Romina got to work processing our water samples. Using vacuum filtration, they carefully captured microorganisms onto sterile filters—a key step that bridges the field with the lab. These filters will later be used for DNA extraction and microbial community analysis, helping us investigate how exposure to pollutants, particularly PFAS, may be impacting microbial life in Charleston Harbor and St. Helena Sound.
Undergraduate researchers Romina (left) and Matt (right) filtering estuarine water samples collected from Charleston Harbor. ©Zachary Padgett
This part of the process is where the bigger picture starts to come into focus. For Matt and Romina, it was an opportunity to see how the samples we collect in the field become the foundation for molecular work in the lab. It’s one thing to take a water sample—it’s another to understand the cascade of techniques that follow, all aimed at answering complex environmental questions. Watching that connection click for them was one of the highlights of the trip.
Of course, no field trip is complete without a little downtime. After a long day of sampling and lab work, we made a much needed stop at Dairy Queen to recharge. Moments like these reminded us that science is not just about data and sampling. Even when the days were long and the work was dirty, we found time to enjoy the journey together!
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