Distinguishing realistic environmental risks of nanoplastics by investigating fate and toxicology in real-world scenarios
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth University
Department Name: Sch of Biological and Marine Sciences
Abstract
Contamination of marine environments by plastic debris is a visually obvious and undesirable consequence of dramatic increases in production and use of plastics in consumer products over the last 50 years. Pieces of plastic have been found in marine environments worldwide and the need to establish levels of contamination and consequences of plastic debris has become a high priority to inform policy. Nanoplastics are manufactured (primary particles) for use in products or form by fragmentation of larger pieces (secondary particles); however, their appearance and properties appear to be indistinguishable after release to the environment. The abundance and persistence of nanoplastics presents a chronic and increasing human-induced change of marine environments on a massive scale for which assessment of risk is an urgent priority. Nanomaterials have unique properties because of their size and there is concern for unexpected toxicity in organisms because nanoplastics may be transported across cell membranes and may persist within the gut and interfere with processes of the digestive system. Investigations of nanomaterial toxicology have been conducted for over ten years, but many of these early studies do not provide the information needed for environmental scientists to assess the risks nanomaterials pose to the environment. This project is focused on providing critical information to enhance the environmental risk assessment of nanoplastics, and is based on real-world exposure scenarios. In particular, we will investigate interactions with microorganisms present in natural seawater on the formation of microorg-agglomerates of nanoplastics and how these microorg-agglomerates have different properties and therefore different environmental effects compared to nanoplastic particles. We will investigate how toxic substances associate with microorg-agglomerates and influence where nanoplastics accumulate within test marine environments (mesocosms) and whether the toxic substances are released to fish. Toxicology and effects of nanoplastics in fish and marine invertebrates after ingestion will be studied considering a variety of endpoints with a design that will enable effects to be modelled across concentrations and sizes of nanoplastics. The outcome of this project (RealRiskNano) will be to provide risk assessors with urgently needed information to evaluate the realistic risk that nanoplastics pose in marine ecosystems.
Planned Impact
Impact Summary- Distinguishing realistic environmental risks of nanoplastics by investigating fate and toxicology in real-world scenarios (RealRiskNano) (Henry, Thompson, Gutierrez, Rowland)
Anticipated outcomes of RealRiskNano: We intend to provide critical information to enable environmentally relevant risk assessments to be developed based on relations between both nanoplastic particle size and concentration, and biological effects in organisms. The importance of microorganisms in natural seawater on formation of microorg-agglomerates of nanoplastics and how these environmentally relevant particles sorb co-contaminants, accumulate in environmental compartments, and effect organisms in marine mesocosms will be determined.
Who will benefit and timeline: Benefits of the project will begin in year one of the project, will continue throughout the project, and will persist into the future as project outcomes will influence risk assessments of nanoplastics in the environment and formation of policy.
1. Government agencies in the UK with responsibility for environmental protection such as Defra, the Environment Agency, and government laboratories with responsibility for fish/shelfish disease such as the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), and companies involved in the environmental hazard and risk assessment of nanomaterials.
2. Government agencies in other countries. Dr. Henry is closely integrated into environmental nanoscience research initiatives in the US (Lead PI on US environmental Protection Agency grant in nanotoxicology, and current Lead PI on U.S. NSF project on the environmental effects of nanomaterials). Agencies within the US that will benefit from the results include the US EPA, NSF, National Institutes of Standards (with whom TB Henry has published numerous articles. TB Henry is currently project leader for EU FP7 project MARMICROTOX investgiating effects of microplastics in marine organisms. Members of the EU Commission are recognizing the importance yet lack of knowledge on nanoplastics and hence will benefit from (RealRiskNano).
3. Risk assessors in both the private and public sector are asking for research to provide the information required to characterize the risk of nanomaterials and to guide regulatory agencies on how to approach risk management of nanotechnologies.
4. The nanotechnology industry is a key player that requires information on the environmental effects of nanotechnology and is keenly aware of properly conducting environmental research to address public concerns relating to new technologies. RealRiskNano aims to resolve realistic risks of nanomaterials, and members of the nanotechnology industry will benfit from this urgently required information.
5. Shelfish harvesters/aquaculturists- understanding the presence and real risks of nanoplastics in filter feeding organisms for human consumption is important for this industry for protection of their products and markets.
How will beneficiaries benefit: It is our intent to clarify the real risks that are posed by nanoplastics in marine environments. There have been numerous overstatements, mis-statements, and lack of reproducible results on the toxicology of nanomaterials in the literature and our objective is to clarify this area of environmental science. Identifying the real risks of nanoplastics in marine environments will enable risk assessors and policy makers provide more appropriate management of this important environmental issue. With real risks understood, dedication of suitable resources will be supported, private industries can plan how to consider the environmental implications of their business, and the general public can be advised. Resources for management of environmental problems are limited and must be appropriately dedicated, understanding the real risks of nanoplastics will impact this process by providing information needed for decision making.
Anticipated outcomes of RealRiskNano: We intend to provide critical information to enable environmentally relevant risk assessments to be developed based on relations between both nanoplastic particle size and concentration, and biological effects in organisms. The importance of microorganisms in natural seawater on formation of microorg-agglomerates of nanoplastics and how these environmentally relevant particles sorb co-contaminants, accumulate in environmental compartments, and effect organisms in marine mesocosms will be determined.
Who will benefit and timeline: Benefits of the project will begin in year one of the project, will continue throughout the project, and will persist into the future as project outcomes will influence risk assessments of nanoplastics in the environment and formation of policy.
1. Government agencies in the UK with responsibility for environmental protection such as Defra, the Environment Agency, and government laboratories with responsibility for fish/shelfish disease such as the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), and companies involved in the environmental hazard and risk assessment of nanomaterials.
2. Government agencies in other countries. Dr. Henry is closely integrated into environmental nanoscience research initiatives in the US (Lead PI on US environmental Protection Agency grant in nanotoxicology, and current Lead PI on U.S. NSF project on the environmental effects of nanomaterials). Agencies within the US that will benefit from the results include the US EPA, NSF, National Institutes of Standards (with whom TB Henry has published numerous articles. TB Henry is currently project leader for EU FP7 project MARMICROTOX investgiating effects of microplastics in marine organisms. Members of the EU Commission are recognizing the importance yet lack of knowledge on nanoplastics and hence will benefit from (RealRiskNano).
3. Risk assessors in both the private and public sector are asking for research to provide the information required to characterize the risk of nanomaterials and to guide regulatory agencies on how to approach risk management of nanotechnologies.
4. The nanotechnology industry is a key player that requires information on the environmental effects of nanotechnology and is keenly aware of properly conducting environmental research to address public concerns relating to new technologies. RealRiskNano aims to resolve realistic risks of nanomaterials, and members of the nanotechnology industry will benfit from this urgently required information.
5. Shelfish harvesters/aquaculturists- understanding the presence and real risks of nanoplastics in filter feeding organisms for human consumption is important for this industry for protection of their products and markets.
How will beneficiaries benefit: It is our intent to clarify the real risks that are posed by nanoplastics in marine environments. There have been numerous overstatements, mis-statements, and lack of reproducible results on the toxicology of nanomaterials in the literature and our objective is to clarify this area of environmental science. Identifying the real risks of nanoplastics in marine environments will enable risk assessors and policy makers provide more appropriate management of this important environmental issue. With real risks understood, dedication of suitable resources will be supported, private industries can plan how to consider the environmental implications of their business, and the general public can be advised. Resources for management of environmental problems are limited and must be appropriately dedicated, understanding the real risks of nanoplastics will impact this process by providing information needed for decision making.
Publications
Al-Sid-Cheikh M
(2020)
Synthesis of 14C-labelled polystyrene nanoplastics for environmental studies
in Communications Materials
Al-Sid-Cheikh M
(2018)
Uptake, Whole-Body Distribution, and Depuration of Nanoplastics by the Scallop Pecten maximus at Environmentally Realistic Concentrations.
in Environmental science & technology
| Title | Everywhere in a littered World |
| Description | Litter is everywhere. It is on country lanes and city streets, washed up in polar regions and deposited on mountains as particles present in 'plastic rain'. It can be so small it needs to be viewed through a microscope and so large that its true scale can only be understood through satellite imagery. It's the coffee cup in the hedge and the Pacific garbage patch. This online exhibition presented works by international artists who explore everyday practices of littering and consider its effects. It asked: What might the future look like in our littered world? Are there ways that humans, animals and plants can co-exist with or even prosper amongst the rubbish? And what will it take to clean up our act? Everywhere was launched alongside the international conference MICRO2020 which explored the fate and impacts of microplastics in the environment |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Impact | Online exhibition of marine litter for public and academic audiences |
| URL | https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/students-and-family/arts-institute-public-programme/everywhere#:~:text=22... |
| Description | Radiolabelled particles allowed for the first time tracking the tissue distribution of nanoplastics at environmentally predicted concentration (15 µg/L). A pulse exposures of 14C-radiolabeled nanopolystyrene to a commercially important mollusc, Pecten maximus, showed a rapid uptake and was greater for 24 nm than for 250 nm particles. After 6 h, autoradiography showed accumulation of 250 nm nanoplastics in the intestine, while 24 nm particles were dispersed throughout the whole-body, possibly indicating some translocation across epithelial membranes. Depuration was also relatively rapid for both sizes; 24 nm particles were no longer detectable after 14 days, although some 250 nm particles were still detectable after 48 days. Bioaccumulation modelling extrapolations indicated that it could take 300 days of continued environmental exposure for uptake to reach equilibrium in scallop body tissues although the concentrations would still below 2.7 mg g-1. see Uptake, Whole-Body Distribution, and Depuration of Nanoplastics by the Scallop Pecten maximus at Environmentally Realistic Concentrations Maya Al-Sid-Cheikh*† , Steve J. Rowland‡, Karen Stevenson§, Claude Rouleau?, Theodore B. Henry? , and Richard C. Thompson*† † School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, United Kingdom ‡ School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, United Kingdom § Charles River, Elpinstone Research Centre, Elphinstone, Tranent EH33 2NE, United Kingdom ? Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski, 310 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec Canada G5L 3A1 ? Institute of Life and Earth Sciences Heriot-Watt University, John Muir Building, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom Environ. Sci. Technol., 2018, 52 (24), pp 14480-14486 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05266 Publication Date (Web): November 20, 2018 |
| Exploitation Route | The methods and approach we have developed is widely applicable for testing uptake of particulates by biota |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Environment |
| URL | https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b05266?ref=highlight |
| Description | Outcomes of our paper on nano plastic uptake by scallops i has received ongoing media and policy interest it is a unique example of uptake of environmental concentrations of nano plastic |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Participation in advisory committee - SAPEA Biodegradability of Plastics commenced March 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Participation in advisory committee and dissemination event - Defra Marine Plastic Pollution including Litter - Evidence Review & Evidence Gaps & Recommendations for Future Policy Development |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | SAPEA Report - A scientific perspective on microplastics in nature and society |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Biodegradable Bioplastics - Assessing Environmental Risk (BIO-PLASTIC-RISK) |
| Amount | £1,082,437 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/V007556/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2020 |
| End | 11/2024 |
| Description | Current and Future Effects of Microplastics on Marine Shelf Ecosystems (MINIMISE) |
| Amount | £271,176 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/S003967/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2019 |
| End | 01/2022 |
| Description | Lost at Sea - where are all the tyre particles? (TYRE-LOSS) |
| Amount | £455,212 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/V00185X/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2020 |
| End | 11/2023 |
| Description | Micro and nano plastics and human health |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Plymouth |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2022 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | Tracking nanoplastics at environmental concentrations |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RM1802-0440 |
| Organisation | Royal Society of Chemistry |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2019 |
| End | 06/2019 |
| Title | Radiolabelling of nano plastic particles to track them at environmental concentration |
| Description | I have developed synthesis of micro- and nanopalstics such as polystyrene or polyethylene with radioisotope to use techniques which have high sensitivity to measure radioactivity at environmental concentration. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | We are the first to be able to track plastic particle at environmental concentration in biological tissues and to be able to provide image of whole body tissue distribution. Consequently, we avoid any artefact of extraction or histology technique because we have a direct view on the whole-body distribution by autoradiography. |
| Description | Cryomicrotom - Slicing samples |
| Organisation | University of Quebec at Rimouski |
| Country | Canada |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We developed a collaboration with Prof. Emilien Pelletier from the University of Quebec at Rismouki (Canada) to have access to CM3600 cryomicrotome (Leica). A such large cryomicrtome is necessary to slice in one section a whole-organism. This kind of cryomicrotome is very rare and mostly dedicated for medical research. Such instrument was not available in UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Emilien Pelletier give me free access to his facilities such as cryomicrotome CM3600, oxidiser etc. Participate in the experimental design and results interpretations |
| Impact | We did publish last november a first paper on the uptake of 14C-nanopolystyrene in scallops with the help of Dr Claude Rouleau form Pelletier's team. We are expecting to have two others papers on: 1) the bioaccumulation of 14C-nanopolystyrene in fish; 2) the partitioning of 14C-nanopolystyrene in microcosms experiments. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Quantitative Whole-Body Autoradiography |
| Organisation | University of Helsinki |
| Country | Finland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Quantitative Whole-body Autoradiography use a phosphore screen scanner to developed the images of radioactivity. This Facilities are rare and when available dedicated for medical applications. Prof. Gareth Law, previously at the University of Manchester, is now at the University of Helsinki, accepted to collaborate on our project for the Quantitative Whole-Body Autoradiography analysis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Gareth Low supported my application for the travel fellowship from the Royal Society of Chemistry. He allocate us a technicien during the time I am visiting him for the analysis and give all support for the calculation and interpretation of the results. |
| Impact | I am analysing 2 main experiments for the Real Risk Nano Project: 1) bioaccumulation of nanoplastics by fish; 2) Mesocoms experiments. As output, we are expecting to have 2 papers: 1) Tissues distribution of nanopalstics in Fish; 2) Fractionation of nanoplastics in mesocosms experiments. These results will be also presented in international conference such as SETAC Europe or North America, Micro conference etc. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | 'Marine Litter a - are there solutions to this global environmental problem?'' presentation for Environmental Nanoscience Group at Birmingham University 19/04/17 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Seminar presentation and discussion plus tour of facilities ayEnvironmental Nanoscience Group |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | American Chemistry Society, Annual Presidential Symposium, Washington 23/9/17 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | American Chemistry Society, Annual Presidential Symposium, Washington 23/9/17. Invited Keynote |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Annual Lecture, Kings College London, 30/01/18 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Annual Lecture, Kings College London, 30/01/18 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Convenor of the session: 3.09 New Horizons in Particulate Polymer Analysis: Micro- and Nanoplastics and Tire Rubber Detection, Characterisation and Impacts in the Environment, in SETAC Europe, Rome |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | International conference of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) where 6,000 researchers/businessmen/industry/students are attending every years to share the most advance results on their research. Here, I am organising a session on analytical development for nano and micro plastic analysis in environment: 3.09 New Horizons in Particulate Polymer Analysis: Micro- and Nanoplastics and Tire Rubber Detection, Characterisation and Impacts in the Environment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://rome.setac.org/programme/scientific-programme/ |
| Description | Episode of BBC Life Scientific |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Richard Thompson - Episode of the Life Scientific - Plastic Pollution https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07dkrq |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07dkrq |
| Description | GERC workshop on UK research priorities for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop objective: The Royal Society's Global Environmental Research Committee (GERC) is hosting this workshop with the aim to identify priority areas for UK research within the UN Decade of Ocean Science at a level suitable for possible UK research programmes. The intention is to produce a set of priority topics that will be synthesised into an overarching document for wide dissemination. Priority areas will take account of the Sustainable Development Goals, and of UK research strengths in science and the application of science to society. The audience will include funding agencies, research institutes and the UK Government. Workshop format: 4 sessions over 11 days. The sessions will be recorded to allow people who have missed a session to catch up. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | HUMAN HEALTH & THE OCEAN IN A CHANGING WORLD |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | 16:30-17:30 SESSION 3: OCEAN POLLUTION AND HUMAN HEALTH - Part 2 Mini-review (3 x 15'): • PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS, PESTICIDES AND OTHER CHEMICALS Dr. Amro HAMDOUN - Scripps Institution of Oceanography • PLASTICS AND MICRO DEBRIS Pr. Richard THOMPSON - University of Plymouth • HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS Pr. Patrick FENICHEL - University of Nice SHORT COMMUNICATIONS (3 x 5') |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.oceanhealthmonaco.org/ |
| Description | Healthy Landscapes Research Festival - Tracking plastic in complex matrix: Plastic in soil |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Healthy Landscapes Research Festival.We had approx. 90 attending, which was composed by diverse horizon such as farmers, Environmental agency, academics, Rothamsted etc This festival sparked discussion between each other and created bridges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/research-festival-healthy-landscapes |
| Description | Industry Action on Microfibres Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Working group to identify research priorities for industry on microfibre pollution |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited speak at British Plastics Federation Recycling Seminar - 7 November 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Subject: Invitation to speak at British Plastics Federation Recycling Seminar - 7 November 2019 Hi Richard I hope that you are well. On 7 November 2019 the BPF is hosting a recycling seminar at the offices of Squire Patton Boggs near Liverpool Street Station in London. As part of this event we are hoping to have a session looking at achieving sustainability in recycling and having listened to your recent appearance in The life scientific, the head of our recycling group Roger Baynham has requested that I approach you to talk on this topic. We would ask you to speak on responsible use of plastic, scientific metrics of sustainability and what you think responsible use of plastics might look like and of course the role of recycling. We would ask you to talk in a 25 minute presentation from 10.50 to 11.15 which would include 20 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for q and a. To give you a little bit more information about the conference, we are expecting between 50 and 60 attendees to join us on the day, the majority of whom will be recyclers, I include last year's delegate list in this email. We are planning on having sessions at the event that will include: . Extended Producer Responsibility - will planned reforms help our industry . Investing in New Capacity - How to strengthen the infrastructure to be able to reach the targets . Innovation in Black Plastics Recycling . Chemical Recycling - an overview Can I ask you to let me know if you would be interested in speaking at this event by a deadline of close of play on 19 July. Please do also let me know if you have any questions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Microplastic and nano plastic seminar and research visit, University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 5-7/07/17 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Visit to Prof Hideshige Takada, Ph.D Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (LOG) Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan. Funded by exchange programme of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. Included national lecture and tour of facilities discussion on future collaboration. Details of approaches to beused on NERC studentship (CASE) application on sewage. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Microplastics workshop Royal Society of Chemistry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I co organised this event at the RSC |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | OECD Workshop on Microplastics from Tyre Wear: Knowledge, Mitigation Measures, and Policy Options |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Aim and objectives of the workshop The aim of the workshop is to deliver preliminary policy recommendations to mitigate and manage tyre and road wear particles (TRWPs) in aquatic environments. The objective is to gather environmental policy makers, scientists, industrial representatives, water and wastewater utilities, IGOs and civil society to discuss tyres and microplastics, specifically addressing issues related to: ? The measurement of microplastics emitted from vehicle tyres, and their pathways into aquatic environments. ? The state of scientific knowledge on the environmental occurrence of TRWP, and their impacts on ecological and human health. ? Strategies to mitigate the emission of microplastics from tyres and to capture the emitted particles, including policy instruments, best practices and initiatives applicable throughout the lifecycle of tyres. 1 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.oecd.org/water/oecdworkshoponmicroplasticsfromtyrewearknowledgemitigationmeasuresandpoli... |
| Description | Poster - Electron microscopy methods for metallic nanoparticles applied to nanoplastics: Challenges and opportunities - SETAC Brussels |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Poster on analytical development to detect nano and microplastics in natural samples. Tis poster was in the session think-out-of-the-box. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://brussels.setac.org/programme/scientific-programme/ |
| Description | Poster - Tracking nanoplastics in marine bivalves at environmentally realistic concentrations, SETAC Rome |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Poster presentation in the session "3.06: Distribution, transformations and biological effects of incidental nanoparticles and nanoplastics in the environment from a more realistic point of view (P)" where I will present our first results of tissue distributions in scallops |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://rome.setac.org/programme/scientific-programme/ |
| Description | Presentation at British Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public lecture entitled: How concerned should we be about microplastics? Covering: definition, extent of contamination in the environment, evidence of harm, future trends and actions necessary to reduce emissions of plastic to the environment. Supported by visuals aids of 1) sources of microplastic - physical fragments from everyday items such as cosmetics and carrier bags, plastic form the gut of seabirds; and 2) consequences - physical fragments from dead seabirds. Ending with Q & A. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.britishsciencefestival.org/ |
| Description | Presentation at international Microplastics summer School, Koblenz, Germany 17/7/17 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation at international Microplastics summer School, Koblenz, Germany 17/7/17 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Sainsbury's & NERC Environmental Science Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Collaborative conference hosted by Sainsbury's with their suppliers and key research and government stakeholders on sustainable environmental management within future policy and regulations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Student Futures and Research Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This five-day event is for career professionals, researchers, and student peers to engage and speak to university students from undergrad to PhD about their career areas, global challenges, and research. The aim of the event is to both inform and excite students interested in ecology and natural history about the career choices available to them and allow them to present their work to their peers. Attending the conference will be an audience of up to 300 undergraduate, postgraduate, Masters and PhD students, and others interested in ecology. Further information can be found on the Eventbrite page: Student Futures and Research Conference 2022 | Eventbrite |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-student-futures-and-research-conference-2022-tickets-249397192717 |
| Description | The future: Considering what Impact might microplastics have on the GI tract and Liver" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | British Society of Gastroenterology. Every year we organise sessions as part of the annual conference. This year, in one of the sessions we are planning is 3 talks on the influence of modern society on the GI tract/liver. We read your extensive royal society publication and concluding paper "Plastics, the environment and human health; current consensus and future trends" with great interest. We would very much like to hear about what impact plastics/microplastics might have on the GI tract and liver in the future. We wondered if you would be willing to give a 20 min talk giving an overview of the topic at our conference in Liverpool? (Monday, June 15th 2020). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Tracking nanoplastics in aquatic organisms at environmentally realistic concentrations, MICRO conference 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Conference exclusivement on the fate, behaviour and impact of plastic litter in the environment. First presentation on our ground-braking approach of tracking plastic by radio labelling. It sparked a lot of discussion and potential collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://micro2018.sciencesconf.org |
| Description | Translocation of 14C-nanoplastics in the scallop Pecten maximus at environmentally realistic concentrations, SETAC Helsinki |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The most important european conference in Ecotoxicology of contaminants. About 2000 composed by researcher, industrial, and company will be present. The objectif of this conference is to present the most up to date research and knowledge of the impact of contaminants in the environment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://helsinki.setac.org |