Physics-Chemistry Department Blog

Prof. Acosta Research

Want to do research? Contact Me!

angel.acosta2@upr.edu

Current Projects

  • NASA – Education, Data and Geosciences in Environmental Justice (EDGE) Institute. North Carolina Central University, University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, University of Alabama in Huntsville.
  • LIT-GEO Proyects: Research Post-Bachelor Program of Geoscience Applied to the Community.
    • First Year (2024) – Comprised of three geoscience research projects for the community (sinkhole flood management, water quality of Caño Tiburones, and the characterization of fungi in caves).
    • Second Year (2025) – Presented the results of all three projects in two occasions and now in March students presented in the SouthEast Geological Society of American Regional Meeting. Currently the LIT-GEO Intercultural Summit is being celebrated in UPRA.
  • Detection of microplastics in the Tallonal Cave at Arecibo.
  • Paleontological Study of on Loose Sediments in Estancita Cave, Cabachuelas.
  • Simulation of real caves utilizing Unreal Engine.
  • Characterization of Rare Speleothems: Retaking the Conversation over the Formation of Shields.

Recent Articles Published

The Fear of Halley’s Comet Visit in 1910 is Preserved in a Cave in Southern Puerto Rico

Abstract

This paper explores a unique cave art found in southern Puerto Rico that depicts a comet over a tomb. Through interdisciplinary methods, including art interpretation, historical documentation, and demographic analysis, this study uncovered the artist’s identity, the societal context of the period, and the potential motivations behind the creation of this art. The investigation revealed a connection to the passage of Halley’s Comet in 1910 and the widespread panic it induced.

Detection of microplastics in Cueva Tallonal at Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Abstract

Microplastics are a serious environmental problem that has percolated through the karst ending up in caves and aquifers a!ecting the water quality and damaging the habitat of some organisms. However, the study of microplastics on karts has been limited for di!erent reasons. This study aims to detect the presence of microplastics at Cueva Tallonal in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. We conduct this research by adapting the methodology of other’s previous work on caves. To perform the study, we collected and processed water and sediment samples in the laboratory. The water sample was directly filtered, and the sediment sample was processed through density separation before the filtration. The suspicious particles were observed and visually analyzed by a digital microscope to classify the particles by aspect. Some suspicious particles with the morphology of microplastics were found in the cave, which have limited access. Interestingly, the locations they were found contradicts previous works in other caves. Our results showed that we were able to identify some suspicious particles in a restricted access cave that correspond to microplastics cubes and fiber cloths.

Marginal Navigation in Colonial Puerto Rico: The Case of the Canoe of Mayagüez

Empowering communities through Citizen Science. Dr. Angel García & Ángel A. Acosta Colón. Journal In the Trenches of the Association of Geosciences Teachers. (https://nagt.org/nagt/publications/trenches/v14/april_2024.html).

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