Project name:
The impact of microplastics on aquatic plants
Project description:
Although the contamination of marine ecosystems by microplastics has been recognized as a serious pollution problem, there is not a lot of knowledge about freshwaters and especially about impact of microplastics on higher plants. In the aquatic environment floating plants have their entire bottom surface and roots in permanent contact with the water surface and thus also with floating microplastics. Furthermore, floating plants may also possibly aggregate microplastics during their movement on the water surface and thus affect their fate in the aquatic ecosystems. In this context we evaluate how microplastics affect floating aquatic plants, how floating plants accumulate and interact with microplastics and also the role of microorganisms and formation of biofilm on microplastic surface.
References:
Kalčíková Gabriela, Branko Alič, Tina Skalar, Mirco Bundschuh, Andreja Žgajnar Gotvajn (2017): Wastewater treatment plant effluents as source of cosmetic polyethylene microbeads to freshwater. Chemosphere, vol. 188, str. 25-31
Kalčíková Gabriela, Andreja Žgajnar Gotvajn, Aleš Kladnik, Anita Jemec Kokalj (2017): Impact of polyethylene microbeads on the floating freshwater plant duckweed Lemna minor. Environmental pollution, vol. 230, str. 1108-1115
Contact:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Gabriela Kalčíková
gabriela.kalcikova@fkkt.uni-lj.si