Institutes Archives - PLA-NET, THE PLASTIC NETWORK

24. June 20202. November 2023

Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Faculty of Fisheries, Turkey

Project name:
Composition, Distribution, Sources and Ecological Interactions of Micro- and nanoplastics in the Southeastern Black Sea Ecosystem” funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)

Project description:
This project aims to assess seasonal distribution, composition, abundance of micro- and nanoplastics in sea surface, water column and sediment with their possible sources in the Southeastern Black Sea which represents an important fisheries area. River mouth and coastal areas as representative areas of land-based pollution are investigated in spatial and temporal scale. This project also aims to investigate possible pathways of micro- and nanoplastics to enter food web and their effects on function of lower trophic levels of pelagic food funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) web. Effect of physical environment on distribution of plastics are also evaluated. Project will provide data to fill the gap on micro- and nanoplastics and their effects in Black Sea ecosystem within the scope of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive which aims to achieve Good Environmental Status in European Seas.

Project name:
“Assessment of microplastic ingestion by zooplankton in the South Eastern Black Sea“

Project description:
This project aims to assess the microplastic ingestion by two dominant copepod species (Calanus euxinus and Acartia clausi) in the Black Sea. Temporal and spatial distribution of microplastics concentration and those of zooplankton groups in the water column were also evaluated.

Project name:
Assessment of riverine input of microplastics in the South Eastern Black Sea

Project description:
This project aims to assess microplastics input by a selected river in the SE Black Sea.

17. June 202025. March 2024

National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Chemical and Physical processes (IPCF), Messina, Italy

Project name:
MERLIN-MICROPLASTIQUES, funded by Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)

Project description:
The IFREMER Merlin-Microplastiques project is a research project dedicated to the investigations of microplastics in marine environments aimed at: tracking the smallest plastics particles, understand their evolution and assess their impacts in marine ecosystems.

25. March 20202. November 2023

Tezpur University, India

Project name:
To study the sediment geochemistry of the Brahmaputra River

Project description:
To study the surface water geochemistry of the Brahmaputra river as well as the suspended sediment geochemistry. Understanding the mechanism of weathering and erosion processes affecting the geochemistry of the surface water and quantification of denudation rates in the Brahmaputra river.

22. January 20202. November 2023

Universidad Autonoma de Madrid

Project name:
Environmental risk of micro and nanoplastics in wastewater treatment systems and receiving bodies

Project description:
Microplastics have long been recognized as environmental pollutants causing impacts to marine and terrestrial life. Microplastics decompose and break up into smaller plastic debris under the action of microbiological and physicochemical degradation processes leading to nanomaterials. Nanoplastics, like other nanomaterials, have unique properties due to their size, shape and their capacity to interact with other substances due to their large surface area. Nanoplastics can produce physical damage but they may also be transported across cell membranes and persist in the environment due to their relative inertness. The chemical composition of plastics makes them a conveyor for non-polar anthropogenic pollutants supposing an additional risk factor for which very little is known.

This proposal aims at providing the information required to evaluate the risk posed by nanoplastics to freshwater ecosystems with particular attention to the processes of fragmentation and environmental transformation in real world scenarios. We will also study the role of micro and nanoplastics as vectors for other pollutants and, for the case of larger particles, as habitats for microbial communities growing on them as biofilms. In particular, we will investigate the damage to organisms naturally exposed to nanoplastics in the receiving bodies of wastewater discharge. The toxicity of nanoplastics to photosynthetic microorganisms will be combined with protozoa and invertebrates representing three trophic levels. Special attention will be paid to the mechanisms of nanoplastic internalization and to their toxic action by using a battery of fluorochromes as indicators of cytotoxicity, cell viability, oxidative and genotoxic damages.

16. January 20202. November 2023

University of Alcalá, Spain

Participating institutions:

Universidad de Alcalá (coordinator)
Spanish Astrobiology Center, INTA-CSIC
Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, IEO
Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies, IMDEA-Water
National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, INIA
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Universidad de La Laguna
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Universidad de Málaga
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena
Universidade de A Coruña
Universidade de Vigo

Project name:
Thematic Network of Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Environment (EnviroPlaNet)

Project description:
EnviroPlaNet Thematic Network is an interdisciplinary project coordinating fifteen Spanish research teams working on issues related to the contamination by plastic debris. The objective is to improve coordination in critical key aspects such as the definition of sampling procedures, sample analysis or the development of consistent toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment methodologies. The network includes teams with a prolonged expertise in marine research and the damage to wildlife, fisheries and touristic industry caused by the accumulation of plastic debris in the environment. Other groups focus on risks derived from the generation of smaller fragments, namely micro- and nanoplastics, the leaching of plastics additives or the chemical risk caused by the adsorption of hydrophobic pollutants. The dissemination of microorganisms associated to the plastisphere is another hot topic covered by several teams in the Network. In addition, the Network is granting researchers access to techniques available in other institutions, thereby strengthening the competitive position of participating groups and associated partners. Collaboration instruments include an internal communication structure, research staff training activities such as collaboration in scientific campaigns, and the preparation of publishable materials. Attention is paid to promoting the participation of the different groups in national and international networks and consortia. The Network also promotes knowledge transfer to companies and regulators, as well as to NGOs, policy makers and other social agents. Communication and dissemination activities are being carried out through multiple channels including specialized platforms, scientific dissemination events, and the use of social networks.

www.enviroplanet.net

Published articles (pdf, 76KB)

17. July 2019

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Project name:
Microplastic pollution study in the Ogun and Osun River Systems, Nigeria

Project description:
Rivers Osun and Ogun are the two major rivers in the southwestern part of Nigeria and both are tributaries of the Gulf of Guinea within the Nigerian territory. River Osun takes its source from Ekiti State and finally flows into the Lekki Lagoon which is interconnected with the Lagos Lagoon. River Ogun flows from Oyo State into the Lagos Lagoon, and is ultimately linked with the Gulf of Guinea. The project aims at assessing microplastic occurrence and load in the water column and river bed of the both rivers. Sampling will be conducted over a period of time such that it covers the major seasons in Nigeria (e.g. early rainy season, late rainy season, early dry season, late dry season). Samples will be collected for both water and sediment analysis from different sections of the river, as well as in some key indicator macroinvertebrate species. Thereafter, appropriate laboratory techniques will be employed to extract microplastics from the samples, and final identification will be carried out using the micro Fourier Transform-Infrared (µFT-IR) spectroscopy.

15. April 201919. May 2023

Dalhousie University, School for Resource and Environmental Studies

Project name:
Policies to reduce use and disposal of single-use plastics

Project description:
The project aims to build strategic partnerships to mobilize knowledge into solutions and policies to reduce use and disposal of single-use plastics. Our project includes sampling, data collection, interpretation, research engagement and partnership collaboration through the School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES) as led by Professor Tony Walker.

Dalhousie University, School for Resource and Environmental Studies

6. February 201919. May 2023

RIMMEL

Project name:
RIMMEL (RIverine and Marine floating macro litter Monitoring and Modelling of Environmental Loading)

Project description:
The JRC exploratory project RIMMEL provides information about litter, mainly plastic waste, entering the European Seas through river systems. RIMMEL has collected data on riverine floating macro litter inputs to the sea. Data acquisition was based on the Riverine Litter Observation Network (RiLON) activities, which collected data from rivers in the European marine basins over a period of one year (September 2016 – September 2017). Data was collected by visual observations and documented with the JRC Floating Litter Monitoring Application for mobile devices, allowing a harmonized reporting, compatible with the MSFD Master List of Categories for Litter Items. Results provide the list of most frequent floating macro litter items entering the European Seas through rivers. Quantitative results and analysis of riverine litter input data will provide estimates of riverine litter load at European scale

https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/floating-macro-litter-european-river

10. January 201910. January 2019

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (funded by UKWIR)

Project name:
Sink to River – River to Tap A review of potential risks from nanoparticles and microplastics

Project description:
The objectives of this projects are to establish what is known and to provide empirical evidence on plastic and microplastic particles entering and leaving UK water and wastewater works in addition to identifying whether the fate of microplastics are influenced by different treatment practices. The study will provide an up to date review on what is known around the world on MPs in potable water and wastewater. In addition, through an intensive programme of field work and analysis, it will represent the most comprehensive study yet carried out on the fate of MPs both in drinking water and wastewater treatment. The information will establish the position of the Water Industry with respect to the challenge of MPs entering and leaving WTW and WwTW plants in the UK. It will search for evidence of certain treatments being more efficacious than others.

9. January 201919. May 2023

WESSLING Hungary Ltd.

Project name:
Microplastic Sampling Method

Project description:
Our goal is to develop a procedure and a tool set for the sampling and sample preparation of microplastics from freshwater environments (water, sediment) that can make a significant contribution to the standardization of this type of tests. The creation of a high resolution water sampling device will enable us to sample the fraction with a greater significance from an environmental and, presumably, physiological significance (20-50 micrometers). This is done in order to be able to supply data currently missing for freshwater matrices, to ensure that the results of river and lake microplastics surveys and monitoring projects that will necessarily start across Europe will be comparable in the future.

Sample preparations will be evaluated using different model systems and field collected samples as well. For water samples, an efficient and economical sample volume reduction process and a high throughput workstation prototype is developed, which will not only increase the ease of handling, but will serve sustainability, because it will minimize the use of chemicals. For the preparation of field sediment samples, we intend to use different methods: processes that had been tested in a model system previously, developed on the basis of various publications, and optimized for commercially available instruments will be investigated. Based on the principle of the surrogate standard addition concept, we strive to develop an internal control for sample preparation, in order to obtain a more reliable picture of the measurement uncertainty, and to increase the reliability of the measurements later on.