Archives: Funded Research Projects
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Risk assessment for microplastics in terrestrial environments
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Timeline February 2023 to December 2025 Additional Information The HERA-MP (Holistic Environmental Risk Assessment for MicroPlastic in the terrestrial environment) project is applying Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/ International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standardized effect test systems to several types of microplastic in the context of agricultural practices. These… Read more
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Comprehensive additive release and bioaccessibility model for risk assessment of micro- and nano- plastics in the environment
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline October 2021 to September 2024 Additional Information There is a significant gap in understanding of the environmental fate of plastics additives. These may include synthetic organic chemicals such as dyes and plasticizers, and surface coatings such as water/stain repellents. Risk assessments for these additives in aquatic environments… Read more
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Emission factors for micro- and nano-plastics in Europe
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Timeline January 2023 to December 2024 Additional Information The EMIFACT MNP project is developing a model that predicts environmental emission factors for the full size range of plastics emissions, covering the full lifecycle of broad range of widely used polymers. The model will provide: The end-product will be a framework for… Read more
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Modeling human exposure to microplastic
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators N/A Timeline Summer 2022 to summer 2024 (Cefic Long-Range Research Initiative (LRI)) with two years’ additional funding from PlasticsEurope Additional Information This project builds on an existing model for human microplastics exposure published by Nor et al (2021). The Nor approach is a promising way to probabilistically model… Read more
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Assessing microplastic inhalation toxicity
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline January 2022 to April 2024. Additional Information Routes of human exposure to microplastics may including drinking water, food, and air pollution. Nano- and micro-plastic particles are detectable in numerous aquatic organisms and in human biomonitoring samples. This project used a tiered approach to assess the inhalation toxicity… Read more
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Modeling fragmentation of micro- and nano-plastics in the environment
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline October 2021 to June 2024 Additional Information The ECO59 FRAGMENT-MNP (Micro and NanoPlastic FRAGMentation in the Environment) project applies physical chemistry, fluid mechanics, material science and data science to extend researchers’ experience with existing fragmentation theory. This is expected to provide a unified view of how key… Read more
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Assessing long-range transport of microplastics
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline March 2019 to March 2021 Additional Information The μPLANET modelling framework uses state-of-the art advances in multimedia environmental fate modelling, integrating knowledge of the fate and transport of microplastics and naturally-occurring particles with similar properties, and strengthening understanding of processes influencing long-range environmental transport. Objectives included: applying… Read more
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Modelling microplastics in aquatic environments
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline October 2021 to September 2024 Additional Information The UTOPIA project set out to develop a global, open-source multimedia modeling platform to synthesize information on the environmental fate of microplastics. The platform is intended to: More detail is available here. Professional Presentations del Prado Domercq M, MacLeod M,… Read more
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Applying EU hazard assessment frameworks to microplastics
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline March 2019 to March 2021 Additional Information The Microplastic Effect Thresholds for Aquatic Species (METAS) project assessed the applicability and adaptability of the existing EU hazard assessment framework to solid polymer particles. This provides insight into the relative hazard of these particles and helps to identify future… Read more
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Modelling microplastics in aquatic environments
Researchers / Institutional Affiliations Principal Investigator Collaborators Timeline March 2019 to March 2021 Additional Information Environmental fate models can provide exposure predictions, improve process understanding and evaluate future scenarios. Existing modelling approaches for engineered nanoparticles offer a suitable starting point for nano- and microplastic fate models. Adjustments are required to account for wider size range,… Read more