Microplastics

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Dr. Bart Koelmans
  Wageningen University
  (The Netherlands)

Collaborators

• Dr. Martine van den Heuvel-Greve
  Wageningen Marine Research
  (The Netherlands)
• Dr. Ivo Roessink
  Wageningen Environmental Research
  (The Netherlands)

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 targeted testing efforts. METAS also set out to offer guidance on testing methods for microplastic particles, and how to assess threshold levels of microplastics that affect aquatic organisms. The researchers provided guidance on the implications of the project’s findings for the environmental hazard and risk assessment of microplastics.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

de Ruijter VN, Hof M, Kotorou P, van Leeuwen J, van den Heuvel Greve MJ, Roessink I, Koelmans AA. Testing the effects of environmentally relevant microplastic in sediment on sixteen invertebrate species under ecologically relevant conditions. Available here.

Published Papers

de Ruijter VN, Redondo-Hasselerharm PE, Gouin T, Koelmans AA. Quality Criteria for Microplastic Effect Studies in the Context of Risk Assessment: A Critical Review. Environmental Science & Technology, 2020, 54 (19), 11692-11705. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03057. Available here.

de Ruijter VN, Hof M, Kotorou P, van Leeuwen J, van den Heuvel Greve MJ, Roessink I,
Koelmans AA. Microplastic Effect Tests Should Use a Standard Heterogenous Mixture:
Multifarious Impacts among 16 Benthic Invertebrate Species Detected under Ecologically Relevant Test Conditions. Environmental Science & Technology, 2023, 57 (48), 19430-19441. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06829. Available 2Q2024.

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Dr. Antonia Praetorius
  University of Amsterdam
  (The Netherlands)

Collaborators

• Dr. Todd Gouin
  TG Environmental Research
  (UK)
• Prof. Mick Whelan
  University of Leicester
  (UK)

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 the microBETR global model to transfer of microplastics from coasts to open oceans; developing models of transfer from rivers to oceans; and devising long-range environmental transport metrics for evaluating and prioritizing microplastics. Project outputs were integrated into a flexible tool that could be integrated into the modeling framework developed by the UTOPIA project.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Seijo M, Whelan M, Gouin T, Praetorius A. Beyond the Horizon: Unveling Transport Mechanisms and Residence Times of Atmospheric Micro- and Nanoplastics. SETAC Europe 2024. See details here.

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Andy Booth
  Chief Scientist
  SINTEF Ocean
  (Trondheim, Norway)

Collaborators

• J.K. Patterson Edward
  Director
  Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute
  (Tamil Nadu, India)
• Stefania Piarulli
  Researcher
  SINTEF Ocean
  (Trondheim, Norway)
• Astrid Strunk
  Post-doctoral Researcher
  Lund University (Lund, Sweden)
• Jamila Patterson
  Professor
  Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute
  (Tamil Nadu, India)
• Stephan Kubowicz
  Senior Researcher
  SINTEF Industry
  (Trondheim, Norway)
• Lisbet Sørensen
  Senior Researcher
  SINTEF Ocean
  (Trondheim, Norway)
• R.L. Laju
  Assistant Professor
  Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (Tamil Nadu, India)
• K. Immaculate Jeyasanta
  Assistant Professor
  Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute
  (Tamil Nadu, India)
• Navamani Gladwin Gnana Asir
  Assistant Professor
  Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute
  (Tamil Nadu, India)

Timeline

The project runs from early 2024 to early 2026 (24 months).

Additional information

It will assess how the composition and abundance of transported MP have changed over time by determining deposition rates in riverine, estuarine and marine sediment cores collected from multiple sampling sites, as well as the contribution from different anthropogenic sources along the contiguous water system.

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Dr. Tanja Hansen
  Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine
  (Germany)

Collaborators

• Dr. Wendel Wohlleben
  BASF
  (Germany)
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Silke Christiansen
  Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems
  (Germany)

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 of various microplastics. Objectives included: identifying factors that determine inhalation toxicity; identifying existing approaches for other solid, inhalable particles that might be usefully applied to microplastics; using a tiered testing approach; ranking microplastics by their relevance for human risk assessment, specifically human hazard by inhalation; and based on the ranking, providing recommendations for confirmatory in vivo studies.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Hansen T, Santizo K, Sarau G, Kolle S, Kraus A, Ritter D, Knebel J, Schwarz K, Escher S, Christiansen S, Wohlleben W. Towards a tiered strategy to assess microplastic inhalation toxicity. EUROTOX: September 2023.

Santizo K, Mangold H, Wohlleben W, Sarau G, Christiansen S, Hansen T. Microplastic References for Inhalation Toxicity. Inhaled Particles Conference: May 2023.

Published Papers

N/A

Collaborators

• Alison Elder
  Environmental Medicine
  University of Rochester
  (Rochester, New York, US)
• James McGrath
  Biomedical Engineering
  University of Rochester/SiMPore
• Samantha Romanick
  Biomedical Engineering
  University of Rochester
  (Rochester, New York, US)
• Wayne Knox
  Institute of Optics
  University of Rochester
  (Rochester, New York, US)
• Andrew Berger
  Institute of Optics
  University of Rochester
  (Rochester, New York, US)
• Gregory Madejski
  Integrated Nanosystems Center
  University of Rochester/Parverio, Inc.
  (Rochester, New York, US)
• Iseult Lynch
  University of Birmingham (UK)
• Sophie Comer-Warner
  University of Birmingham (UK)/University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois, US)
• John Scott
  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois, US)

Timeline

Analyses via Pyro-GC-MS to commence in spring 2024, with results being prepared fo publication by the end of 2024

Additional information

Studies of indoor and outdoor air and settled dust have found plastic particles with varying compositions (polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, nylon), morphologies (fibers, fragments, spheres), and sizes, including submicrometer particles up to several mm long. At least for larger size fractions, plastic particles can be distinguished from other airborne particulates. This project aims to address data gaps including defining the concentration, morphology, and composition of particles that can be deposited in the respiratory tract.

For the airborne microplastic studies, researchers are using respirable cyclone-type (4 μm) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5 impactor-type, ≤2.5 μm) sampling devices. Several samples have been collected on ultrathin, optically clear silicon nanomembranes that allow imaging without extraction. For initial experiments, particles were stained to identify cellulosic and polymeric particles. The samples collected on the membranes are being analyzed via light microscopy or confocal Raman spectroscopy. However, the methods described above have limitations in terms of minimum particle sizes and the speciation analyses are somewhat inefficient. On this latter point, most health-based standards relating to particulate matter are expressed by mass concentration. Thus, the researchers are currently preparing for bulk analyses of respirable samples via pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Results will ultimately be extrapolated to estimate lung burdens over various exposure time scales to compare to other types of environmental and occupational exposures. These quantitative analyses are complemented by imaging analyses to provide information about morphology and physical dimensions, as well as exploratory work to identify microplastics in environmental samples.

Professional Presentations

Elder et al. Analysis of Airborne Microplastics in Indoor Environments: Toxicological Considerations (virtual talk). Society for Risk Analysis annual conference, December 2021.

Romanick et al. National Postdoc Appreciation Week Showcase, 2021 (University of Rochester): Assessment of Respirable and Inhalable Indoor Microplastic Pollution (poster).

Elder et al. Are Airborne Microplastics a New Concern for Human Health? (talk). Society of Toxicology-Japanese Society of Toxicology Joint Symposium, SOT annual conference, San Diego, CA, March 2022.

Romanick et al. Assessment of Respirable and Inhalable Household Microplastic Pollution and the Effects of Exposure on the Human Epithelial Barrier. 2022 Society of Toxicology poster presentation (San Diego, CA).

Elder et al. Evaluating Indoor Exposures to Human Respirable Microplastic Particles (talk). Inhaled Particles Toxicology Conference, Santa Fe, NM, August 2022.

Elder et al. Evaluating Indoor Exposures to Human Respirable Microplastic Particles (virtual talk). Microplastics Advance Research and Innovation Initiative (MARII) Workshop on advancements and steps towards a holistic, quantitative risk assessment on microplastics, October 2022.

Elder et al. Evaluating Airborne Exposures to Microplastic Particles (talk). Microplastics: Factors to Consider when Assessing Potential Environmental and Human Health Risks Symposium, SOT annual conference, Nashville, TN, March 2023.

Romanick et al. Colorimetric Assessment of Household Settled Dust Captured on Silicon Nanomembranes. 2023 Society of Toxicology poster presentation (Nashville, TN).

Romanick et al. Colorimetric Assessment of Household Settled Dust Captured on Silicon Nanomembranes (talk). Inhaled Particles XIII-NanOEH Conference, May 2023 (Manchester, UK).

Elder et al. Evaluating Airborne Exposures to Microplastic Particles (talk). Inhaled Particles XIII-NanOEH Conference, May 2023 (Manchester, UK).

Published Papers

Publications in Preparation:

Romanick SS, Madejski G, Cashion G, Berger AJ, Elder A, McGrath J. Assessment of Household
Settled Dust via Silicon Nanomembrane Analyses Pipeline (SNAP); Submitted.

The researchers are also preparing an overview paper and a protocol paper about the characterization of microplastics in household dust.

Alison Elder and Phoebe Stapleton (Rutgers University) are collaboration to prepare a chapter for Comprehensive Toxicology, 4th edition entitled, Nanoparticles and nanoplastics in the Lung; due for submission by June 2024

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Prof P. Lee Ferguson
  Duke University
  (US)

Collaborators

• Dr. Mark R. Wiesner
  Duke University
  (US)
• Dr Maria del Prado Domercq
  Stockholm University
  (Sweden)

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 depends on being able to measure and predict exposure of sensitive receptors – such as plants, animals, habitats and ecosystems – to these materials. Robust models are needed to assess leaching of substances from plastics into water, and to understand the fate of nano- and micro-plastics ingested by organisms. Challenges to developing models include molecular diversity among polymer-associated chemicals; varied types, sizes, and formulations of polymers; complexity in nano-/micro-plastic transport and degradation; and variability in receptor organism digestion. This project aims to address these challenges and create a robust, generalizable model to predict polymer additive release, transformation and bioaccessibility in aquatic environments. Laboratory experiments will be carried out to test the model, which is expected to advance understanding and inform risk assessments.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Sipe J, Lewis A, Santizo K, Pfohl P, Lopez B, Harrison S, Wohlleben W, Wiesner M, Ferguson PL. Modeling Fragmentation and Additive Release from Polymers and Microplastics. ACS Spring Polymer Fragmentation: March 2024.

Sipe J, Lewis A, Santizo K, Pfohl P, Lopez B, Harrison S, Wohlleben W, Wiesner M, Ferguson PL. Modeling Fragmentation and Additive Release from Polymers and Microplastics. Society of Polymer Engineers: February 2024.

Sipe J, Lewis A, Santizo K, Pfohl P, Lopez B, Harrison S, Wohlleben W, Wiesner M, Ferguson PL. Modeling Fragmentation and Additive Release from Polymers and Microplastics. AEESP: June 2023

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Co-principal Investigators

• Dr. Samantha Romanick
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  University of Rochester
  River Campus
  Department of Biomedical Engineering
  (US)
• Dr. James McGrath
  Professor
  University of Rochester
  River Campus
  Department of Biomedical Engineering
  (US)

Collaborators

• Dr. Greg Madejski
  Nano Laboratory Engineer
  University of Rochester
  River Campus
  Department of Biomedical Engineering
  (Rochester, NY, US)
• Dr. Alison Elder
  Professor
  University of Rochester Medical Center
  Department of Enviornmental Medicine
  (Rochester, NY, US)
• Dr. Stavros Demos
  Distinguished Scientist
  University of Rochester
  Laboratory of Laster Energetics
  (Rochester, NY, US)
• Nathan Eddingsaas
  Associate Professor of Chemistry
  Rochester Institute of Technology
  School of Chemistry and Materials Science
  (Rochester, NY, US)

Timeline

Project is expected to be completed by September 2024 with publication of findings to follow in late 2024 or early 2025.

Additional information

Microplastics are found in natural waters and in foods and drinks derived from these waters; microplastics are thus ingested and inhaled by humans and found in human tissues. Research on microplastics is challenging due to the labor-intensive protocols associated with isolating them from the environment and biological tissues, particularly at the size scales most relevant to human health (<20μm). Due to lack of well characterized commercial reference MPs, toxicity researchers often resort to commercially available polystyrene spheres, which are a poor model for the environmental microplastics that are most relevant to human health. As novel time-saving protocols, silicon nanomembrane analyses pipelines (SNAPs) are being used with reference and environmental microplastics. In these methods, raw samples are added to nanomembranes housed in filtration devices. The samples are serially processed here until ready for imaging or spectroscopic analysis. The SNAP protocols are reproducible and rigorous and will be used in future studies to characterize environmental microplastics.

The grant title for this project is, ‘Characterization of Highly Referenced Commercial Monodispersed Microplastics Test Materials.’

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Yoshifumi Horie
  Research Center for Inland Seas
  Kobe University
  (Japan)

Collaborators

• Hideo Okamura
  Research Center for Inland Seas
  Kobe University
  (Japan)
• Christopher Gomez
  Graduate School of Maritime Sciences
  Kobe University
  (Japan)
• Akira Ijiri
  Graduate School of Maritime Sciences
  Kobe University
  (Japan)
• Kazuyo Yamaji
  Graduate School of Maritime Sciences
  Kobe University
  (Japan)

Timeline

Underway since March 2023

Additional Information

There is currently a lack of data on risks posed by microplastics in natural ecosystems. The purpose of this project is to assess the ecological risk posed by microplastics using Osaka Bay as a model case. First, researchers investigated microplastic residues in the surface water of the sea in the Osaka Bay area as a measure of ecosystem exposure to microplastics. Second, they examined whether the time required to remove microplastics is affected when ingestion occurs through a food chain. Third, the effects of microplastics on the life cycles of aquatic organisms (Daphnia and fish) were investigated. Finally, the researchers explored whether microplastics in the water are harmful to aquatic organisms

Profession Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

Horie Y, Dorcas U, Mitsunaga K, Akkajit P, Ríos JM, Naija A. Food chain-mediated variation in excretion times of microplastics: Unraveling the interactions with plasticizers. Regional Studies in Marine Science. 69, 103343. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103343

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• Dr. Sam Harrison
  Lancaster Environment Centre
  (UK)
• Dr. Mark Wiesner
  Duke University
  (US)
• Dr. Bernd Nowack
  Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
  (Switzerland)

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:

• Environmental emission factors for Europe, taking account of regional differences in lifecycle processes such waste management to predict spatially distributed emissions factors
• Size-distributed emission factors over relevant time periods, based on predictions of fragmentation during the entire polymer lifecycle, and building on the ongoing Cefic-LRI ECO59 FRAGMENT-MNP project
• An analysis of the lifecycle of polymers based on complete material-flow analysis of technological applications
• Probabilistic emission factors based on use of probabilistic material flow analysis (PMFA) pioneered by project partners

The end-product will be a framework for generating emission factors, applied to a broad range of polymer types, which will be ready for use in environmental exposure models. The project will use previous work develop by Bernd Nowack’s team for Switzerland, here.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Co-principal Investigators

• Xiaoshi Zhang, Ph.D.
  The Pennsylvania State University
  (Pennsylvania, US)
• Alicyn Rhoades, Ph.D.
  The Pennsylvania State University
  (Pennsylvania, US)

Collaborators

• Hlengilizwe Nyoni
  The Pennsylvania State University
  (Pennsylvania, US)
• Maxwell Wetherington
  The Pennsylvania State University
  (Pennsylvania, US)

Timeline

Kick-off date: October 13, 2023; projected completion date: October 2024. A presentation and a paper describing study results are planned.

Additional information

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Collaborators

• Katherine Shaw
  National Institute of Standards and Technology
  (Hawaii, US)
• Rachel Sandquist
  Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)
• Cameron Fairclough
  CoastalOceanVision
  (Massachusetts, US)
• Scott Gallager
  CoastalOceanVision
  (Masssachusetts, US)
• Jennifer M. Lynch
  National Institute of Standards and Technology and Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)

Timeline

Estimated publication date of study findings, March 2023.

Additional Information

Professional Presentations

A Novel Method for the Extraction of Microplastics from Marine Sediment, PacifiChem (virtual)

Effective microplastic extraction from deep sea sediment with an affordable and easily accessible density separation device, 7th International Marine Debris Conference (IMDC; Busan, Republic of Korea), September 18-23, 2022

Published Papers

Separation of microplastics from deep-sea sediment using an affordable, simple to use, and easily accessible density separation device, in review

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• In silico exposure model:
  Wageningen University and Research (WUR; The Netherlands)
• Transfer across barriers:
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO; The
  Netherlands)
  BASF (Germany)
• In vivo tracking study:
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO; The
  Netherlands)
  Charles River Laboratories
• Human stool study:
  Environment Agency Austria (UBA; Austria)

Timeline

• In silico exposure model: Q1 2022 to Q1 2026
• Transfer across barriers: Q3 2024 to Q1 2025
• In vivo tracking study: Q3 2024 to Q1 2025
• Human stool study: Q3 2023 to Q1 2024

Funding Source

Plastics Europe, Task 2.i. co-funded by Cefic-LRI (as project B24)

Additional information

The objective of Working Package 2 is to confirm and track the presence of microplastics in the
human body. There is a focus on: an in silico human exposure computer model, being built in
collaboration with Cefic-LRI project B24; transfer across barriers, using cell-culture assays to
establish the potential for microplastics to cross biological membranes; an in vivo tracking study
using model organisms; and a human stool study aimed at counting and characterizing
microplastics in human stool.

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

Nano- and microplastic PBK modeling in the context of human exposure and risk
assessment. Wardani et al. 2024. Environment International 186: 108504.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108504.

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• Framework development
  Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM; Germany)
• Risk assessment model
  TBD
• Risk assessment upgrade and maintenance
  TBD

Timeline

• Framework development: Q4 2023 to Q4 2024
• Risk assessment model: Q2 2024 to Q4 2026
• Risk assessment upgrade and maintenance: Q3 2025 to Q4 2026

Additional information

Working Package 4 (risk assessment and model development) will use data from Working Packages 2 (exposure assessment) and 3 (hazard assessment). This research is applying an innovative approach to risk assessment that combines traditional in vivo-based approach with elements from next-generation alternative techniques.

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• Cells: General toxicity
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO; The Netherlands)
• Cells: Systemic toxicity
  TBD
• Tissues: Ex vivo toxicity
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO; The Netherlands) The TIM Company (The Netherlands)
• Organisms: In vivo toxicity
  TBD

Timeline

• Cells: General toxicity: Q1 to Q3 2025
• Cells: Systemic toxicity: Q3 2025 to Q4 2026
• Tissues: Ex vivo toxicity: Q4 2025 to Q1 2026
• Organisms: In vivo toxicity: Q1 to Q2 2025

Additional information

Working Package 3 includes an investigation of the level of i) general toxicity in cell culture; ii) systemic toxicity in cell culture; iii) toxicity in tissues (including a gastrointestinal simulator and a liver model); and toxicity at the organism level.

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• Milling:
  NanoFract UG, Magdeburg (Germany)
• Labeling:
  Dow
  BASF
• Characterization and baseline toxicity testing:
  Nederlandse Organiste voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO; The Netherlands)

Timeline

Q2 2022 to Q3 2024 (milling, labeling and characterization),
Q3 to Q4 2024 (baseline testing)

Additional information

Ingestion and inhalation are hypothesized to be the main routes of exposure of humans to microplastics. This project focuses on ingestion. Microplastics will be prepared by the micronization of commercial-grade forms of examples of each of the seven polymer types (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, (rigid)polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyamide-6 and polyethylene terephthalate – the latter in collaboration with PETCORE Europe). Some of these microplastics will be labelled by radioisotope¹ labels – specifically, carbon-14 – to better track them during exposure experiments. The microplastics will be characterized using a variety of analytical techniques.

Further details are available here.

¹https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389423020691

Professional Presentations:

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• Seneca Fitch, Daniele Wikoff & John Rogers
  ToxStrategies, LLC
  (US)
• Steffen Schneider & Bjoern Hidding
  BASF
  (Germany)
• Sue Marty & Robert Ellis-Hutchings
  Dow, Inc
  (US)
• Erik Rushton
  LyondellBasell
  (The Netherlands)

Timeline

Completion 3Q24

Additional Information

Professional Presentations

Fitch S, Rogers J, Marty S, Ellis-Hutchings R, Becker R, Wikoff D. Development of a Study Quality Tool for Use in a Systematic Review of Literature Reporting Microplastic Exposure and
Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity. Society of Toxicology’s 62nd Annual Meeting, March 2023, Nashville Tennessee (US).

Fitch S, Ellis-Hutchings R, Rogers J, Marty S, Rushton E, Schneider S, Otte J, Norman J, Wikoff D. Study quality evaluation of literature reporting plastic microparticle exposure against
reproductive and developmental toxicity endpoint. Society of Toxicology’s 63rd Annual Meeting, March 2024, Salt Lake City, Utah (US).

Published Papers

(IN DRAFT) Seneca Fitch, John Rogers, Allison Franzen, Robert Ellis-Hutchings, Sue Marty, Jens Otte, Erik Rushton, Susan Borghoff, Daniele Wikoff. DRAFT. Systematic Review of Microplastics and Potential Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity. Unsubmitted.

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Dr. Claus Svendsen
  UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Collaborators

• Dr. Wendel Wohlleben
  BASF
  (Germany)
• Dr. Antonia Praetorius
  University of Amsterdam
  (The Netherlands)
• Dr. Prof Mark R Wiesner
  Duke University
  (US)

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 environmental factors affect degradation and fragmentation rates for polymer particles. The project has the following elements: bringing together a ‘cluster’ of projects being funded by Cefic-LRI to ensure interoperability and sharing of learnings; developing an open-source mechanistic model; and providing an experimental database of key parameters leveraging in-house databases, existing literature and targeted gap-filling experiments.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Wohlleben W, Santizo K, Pfohl P, Harrison S, Cross R, Sipe JM, Wiesner M, Adediran G, Praetorius A, Catrouillet C, Lopez B, Scendsen C. Systematic comparison of environmental stresses (shear, humidity, UV, pH, temperature, enzymes) on microplastic fragmentation and release of nanoplastics and dissolved organics. SETAC Europe: May 2024. See details here.

Sipe J, Lewis A, Santizo K, Pfohl P, Lopez B, Harrison S, Wohlleben W, Wiesner M, Ferguson PL. Breaking down Plastics: Can we predict fragmentation and release of microplastics into the environment: University of Arizona Seminar: October 2023.

Santizo K, Pfohl P, Wohlleben W, Sipe JM, Wiesner M, Harrison S, Cross R, Adediran G, Praetorius A, Lopez B, Svendsen C. Systematic evaluation of fragmentation of five common synthetic polymers: Influence of photolysis, temperature and relative humidity on fragment size distribution and material characteristics. SETAC Europe: May 2023.

Santizo K, Pfohl P, Wohlleben W, Sipe JM, Wiesner M, Harrison S, Cross R, Adediran G, Praetorius A, Lopez B, Svenden. Distinctions on fragmentation and degradation of six common microplastics from hydrolysis condition variations: Insights into pH, salinity and enzyme effects. SETAC Europe: May 2023.

Sipe J, Lewis A, Santizo K, Pfohl P, Lopez B, Harrison S, Wohlleben W, Wiesner M, Ferguson PL. Breaking down the Plastic Problem: Can we predict how microplastics are fragmented and released. Brown University Seminar: March 2023.

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Dr. Bart Koelmans
  Wageningen University
  (The Netherlands)

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 exposure – using a statistical approach to predict multiple possible outcomes – and predict microplastics concentrations in the human gut and body tissue. The updated model will provide direction to planned and ongoing research, offering qualitative and quantitative risk context. The project aims to: model microplastics with various size ranges (1 nm to 5 mm, with a primary focus on izes from 100 nm to 5 mm; 25,400,000 nm = 1 inch); cover a wide range of foods and inhalation sources, including dust; and develop a user-friendly model that allows non-experts to perform analyses. The updated model is intended to simulate concentrations of microplastics in human organs and circulation, for example, modeling particle concentrations in lungs, lymphatic system, blood, and liver. The project aims to provide a list of recommendation for experimental work to refine processes and model parameters.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Nor NHM, Koelmans AA. A conceptual model framework for the biodistribution of microplastics in the human body by using the Physiologically Based Pharamacokinetic (PBPK) model approach. EUROTOX: September 2023.

Published Papers

Wardani I, Nor NHM, Wright SL, Kooter IM, Kolemans AA (2024). Nano- and microplastic PBK modelling in the context of human exposure and risk assessment. Environment International: 108504; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108504

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Yuji Oshima
  Faculty of Agriculture
  Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science
  Kyushu University
  (Japan)

Collaborators

• Yohei Shimaski
  Faculty of Agriculture
  Kyushu University
  (Japan)
• Kang Ik Joon
  School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation
  Kyushu University
  (Japan)
• Yuki Takai
  Faculty of Agriculture
  Kyushu University
  (Japan)

Timeline

Underway since March 2019

Additional information

Microplastics can act as vectors for other environmental contaminants, absorbing organic and inorganic pollutants. Previously, there had been no known studies examining this vector effect or related kinetics. The current project aims to construct a model for estimating the vector effect of microplastics and predicting its impact in the environment.

Professional Presentations

Oshima Y, Establishment of medaka kinetic model for aged microplastic and adsorbed chemical, Microplastics Advance Research and Innovation Initiative (MARII) Workshop on advancements and steps towards a holistic, quantitative risk assessment on microplastics, October 12-13, 2022.

Takai Y, Uchida Y, Honda M, Shimasaki Y, Oshima Y. The Vector Effect of Fine Microplastics: Combined Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics and Anthracene on Java medaka. Plastic pollution in Asian waters, March 5, 2022.

Takai Y, Honda M, Chairil AE, Shimasaki Y, Oshima Y. The Vector Effect of Fine Microplastics: Estimation of the Vector Effect on Anthracene in Java medaka. Plastic pollution in Asian waters, March 5, 2022.

Takai Y, Tokunaga M, Komatsu K, Tominaga A, Shimasaki Y, Oshima Y. The vector effect of microplastics: size and concentration effect of microplastics on the accumulation of anthracene for Java medaka, K-INET International Symposium. Kanazawa, Japan, December 7, 2023.

Published Papers

Takai Y, Tokusumi H, Sato M, Inoue D, Chen K, Takamura T, Enoki S, Ueno Y, Kang I J, Shimasaki Y, Qiu X, Oshima Y. Combined effect of diazepam and polystyrene microplastics on the social behavior of medaka (Oryzias latipes), Chemosphere, 299 134403-134403.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653522008967?via%3Dihub

Takai Y, Tominaga A, Honda M, Qiu X, Shimasaki Y, Joon Kang I, Oshima Y. Combined effect of anthracene and polyethylene microplastics on swimming speed and cytochrome P4501A monooxygenase expression of Java medaka (Oryzias javanicus). Ecotoxicology. 2023 Sep;32(7):948-957.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10646-023-02700-4

Takai Y, Tokusumi H, Sato M, Inoue D, Chen K, Takamura T, Enoki S, Ueno Y, Kang I J, Shimasaki Y, Qiu X, Oshima Y, 2022. Combined effect of diazepam and polystyrene microplastics on the social behavior of medaka (Oryzias latipes). Chemosphere 299, 134403.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653522008967?via%3Dihub

Liu Y, Qiu X, Xu X, Takai Y, Ogawa H, Shimasaki Y, Oshima Y, 2021. Uptake and reputation kinetics of microplastics with different polymer types and particle sizes in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 212, 112007.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651321001184?via%3Dihub

Qiu X, Saovany S, Takai Y, Akasaka A, Inoue Y, Yakata N, Liu Y, Waseda M, Shimasaki Y, Oshima, Y, 2020. Quantifying the vector effects of polyethylene microplastics on the accumulation of anthracene to Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Aquat. Toxicol. 228, 105643.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166445X20303933?via%3Dihub

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Matthew MacLeod
  Stockholm University
  (Sweden)

Collaborators

• Dr. Antonia Praetorius
  University of Amsterdam
  (The Netherlands)
• Dr. Prado Domercq
  Stockholm University
  (Sweden)
• Dr. Sam Harrison
  Lancaster Environment Centre
  (UK)

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:

• Describe fate processes for microplastic with reference equations, including:
  • Movement between air, freshwater rivers and lakes and their underlying sediment, coastal marine areas and urban, agricultural and background soils
  • Fragmentation into smaller plastic particles
  • Association of microplastic and organic matter due to biofouling and aggregation
  • Chemical degradation into small organic molecules that do not have characteristics of plastics and can be biodegraded
• Offer a user-friendly interface to allow non-experts to extract data on items of interest
• Include a generic database of microplastic properties (such as size, density and shape), enabling the model’s use for scenario analysis
• Have a modular design so that expert users can further develop and update the model
• Provide a reference modeling platform for screening-level risk assessment, calculation of hazard indicators, and identification of knowledge gaps and drivers of uncertainty. This will support hypothesis generation for environmental monitoring and process studies

More detail is available here.

Professional Presentations

del Prado Domercq M, MacLeod M, Praetorius A, Harrison S. UTOPIA: Advancing Microplastic Understanding Through-Based Mass-Balance Modeling. SETAC Europe 2024. Available May 2024.

Published Papers

MacLeod M, Domercq P, Harrison S, Praetorius A. Computational models to confront the complex pollution footprint of plastic in the environment. Nature Computational Science, 2023, 3, 486-494. DOI: 10.1038/s43588-023-00445-y. Available May 2024.

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Matthew MacLeod
  Stockholm University
  (Sweden)

Collaborators

• Dr Antonia Praetorius
  University of Amsterdam
  (The Netherlands)
• Dr Maria del Prado Domercq
  Stockholm University
  (Sweden)

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, typically lower density of plastic particles, and possible weathering and fragmentation. This project set out to extend models of the environmental fate and transport of nanoparticles to open-source models for microplastics in aquatic systems, hence the project name of Nano2Plast. Predicted environmental concentrations and distributions between environmental compartments were calculated using these models for various microplastics. The microplastics model will be used with an open-source model of a regional-scale river, and integrated into BETR Global, an open-source, global-scale multimedia contaminant fate model.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Praetorius A, McLeod M. Fate and transport models for nano- and microplastics. SETAC Europe SciCon 30th Annual Meeting, May 2020, online. Available here

Published Papers

Domercq P, Praetorius A, MacLeod M. The Full Multi: An open-source framework for modelling the transport and fate of nano- and microplastics in aquatic systems. Environmental Modelling & Software, Volume 148, 2022, 105291, ISSN 1364-8152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.105291. Available here.

Collaborators

• Brett Howard
  American Chemistry Council
  (Washington, DC, US)
• Jennifer M. Lynch
  National Institute of Standards and Technology & Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)
• Kellie Teague
  Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)
• Raquel Corniuk
  Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)

Timeline

Funding and polymers were received in June 2020; Polymer Kit 1.0 was completed and launched onto the market in November 2020.

Additional information

https://www.hpu.edu/cncs/cmdr/img/polymerkit1.0_marketingbrochure.pdf

Professional Presentations

Polymer Kit 1.0 – To Harmonize Plastic Pollution Research, Pacific Northwest Consortium on Plastics (virtual)

Polymer Kit 1.0 – Usefulness of Polymer Reference Materials in Marine Debris Analyses, SETAC North America (virtual)

Usefulness of Polymer Reference Materials in Marine Debris Analyses, PacifChem (virtual)

Published Papers

N/A

Collaborators

• Brett Howard
  American Chemistry Council
  (Washington, DC, US)
• John Norman
  American Chemistry Council
  (Washington, DC, US)
• Jennifer M. Lynch
  National Institute of Standards and Technology & Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)
• Kellie Teague
  Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research
  (Hawaii, US)
• Chase Thompson
  National Institute of Standards and Technology
  (Maryland, US)
• Meredith Seeley
  National Institute of Standards and Technology
  (Maryland, US)
• Katherine Shaw
  National Institute of Standards and Technology
  (Maryland, US)

Timeline

Donated materials were received in December 2022. Two LDPE powders will be ready to market in 2024.

Additional information

Two polyethylene microplastic materials were well-characterized to provide researchers with standardized materials for microplastic research. Analysis of materials included use of various polymer identification methods, including attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), uFTIR in reflectance mode, uRaman, py-GCMS, and HT-SEC.

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Collaborators

• Christie Sayes, Taiwo Ayorinde & Joaquin Lugo
  Baylor University and CS Consulting
  (Texas, US)

Timeline

Q3 2024

Additional information

Professional Presentations

N/A

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

• Dr. Karsten Schlich
  Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology
  (Germany)

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 include environmentally-relevant microplastics and a subset of microplastics with specific compositions, sizes and shapes. Testing will focus on heterogenous mixtures of particles, which will be used to develop the risk assessment framework; and select, homogenously distributed microplastics, to evaluate potential toxicological mechanisms of action based on properties such as size, shape and composition. This will supplement information from the critical review of the literature.

Further details are available here.

Professional Presentations

Schofield K, Griffiths M, Pemberton E, Schlich K, Simon M, Hughes C. Comparing Approaches to Terrestrial Ecotoxicity Studies for Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles and Engineered Nanomaterials: A SWOT Analysis Approach. SETAC Europe: May 2024. See details here.

Published Papers

N/A

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Wataru Naito
  National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
  (AIST ; Japan)

Collaborators

• Masashi Gamo
  AIST
  Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability
  (RISS; Japan)
• Kiyotaka Tsunemi
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Hideo Kajihara
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Kyoko Ono
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Isamu Ogura
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Bin-Le Lin
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Xue Mianqiang
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Yuichi Iwasaki
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Yuriko Ishikawa
  AIST
  RISS
  (Japan)
• Yutaka Kameda
  Chiba Institute of Technology
  (Japan)

Timeline

Underway since March 2023

Additional information

This research project aims to facilitate realistic and effective risk management strategies to mitigate microplastic pollution. The project focuses on analyzing the load and sources of microplastics in Tokyo Bay, and conducting practical risk assessments. Leveraging material flow analysis and precise field data, the researchers’ goal is to quantitatively assess the sources of microplastic pollution in marine environments. A second aim is to quantify the temporal changes in microplastic-related environmental risks and the efficacy of various mitigation measures. The researchers have proposed an environmental risk assessment methodology tailored to the unique characteristics of microplastics, drawing from practical case studies in Tokyo Bay and the latest insights from Japanese and international sources.

Professional Presentations

Ueda K, Iwasaki Y, Uesaka M, Naito W. Which concentration unit should be used for environmental risk assessment of microplastics? 57th Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Water Environment, Poster Presentation, March 2023, Univ. Ehime, Japan.

Naito W, Iwasaki Y, Ono K, Ogura I. Framework of environmental risk assessment for microplastics and an illustrative example. 57th Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Water Environment, Oral Presentation, March 2023, Univ. Ehime, Japan.

Ono K, Naito W, Xue M, Tsunemi K, Ogura I. Estimation of Emission and Transfer of Microplastics to Tokyo Bay, Japan by Material Flow Analysis. SETAC EU 33rd Annual Meeting, Dublin, Ireland, April 30-May 4, 2023.

Naito W, Gamo M, Ishikawa Y et al. Quantifying environmental emission and risk of microplastics in a semi-enclosed bay: A Tokyo Bay case study. SETAC EU 33rd Annual Meeting, Dublin, Ireland, April 30-May 4, 2023.

Naito W. Characterizing Composition Profiles and Environmental Risk of Microplastics in Tokyo Bay, 2023 ICCA MARII WORKSHOP, Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel, Seattle, USA, June 12-14, 2023

Published Papers

Ono K, Naito W, Ogura I, Xue M, Kato E, Uesaka M, Tsunemi K (2023). Estimation of microplastic emission and transfer into Tokyo Bay, Japan, using material flow analysis. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115440

Iwasaki Y, Takeshita K.M, Ueda K, Naito W. Estimating species sensitivity distributions for microplastics by quantitively considering particle characteristics using a recently created ecotoxicity database. Micropl.& Nanopl. 3, 21 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-023-00070-6

Researchers / Institutional Affiliations

Principal Investigator

• Hiejima Yusuke
  Research Division for Science and Technology
  Kanazawa University
  (Japan)

Collaborators

• Kuroda Shinichi
  Graduate School of Science and Engineering
  Gunma University
  (Japan)
• Oku Hiroyuki
  Graduate School of Science and Engineering
  Gunma University
  (Japan)
• Kuriyama Takashi
  Graduate School of Organic Materials and Systems Science
  Yamagata University
  (Japan)
• Matsuba Go
  Graduate School of Organic Materials and Systems Science
  Yamagata University
  (Japan)
• Kouzi Hiroaki
  Department of Science and Engineering
  Kanto Gakuin University
  (Japan)
• Igarashi Toshio
  SC Environmental Science Co. Ltd
  (Japan)

Timeline

Underway since March 2019

Additional information

This study aimed to clarify the kinetic mechanisms by which secondary microplastics are generated from plastics, using the principles of polymer science and engineering. There are three main areas of focus: a detailed analysis of microplastics collected in the environment, along with specimens subjected to weathering; the kinetics of microplastic formation during artificially accelerated exposure tests; and the development of reference microplastics with sufficiently high throughput. These approaches will contribute to risk assessments, and will help develop efficient methods to prepare reference microplastics based on their formation mechanism

Professional Presentations

Shinichi K. Elucidation of the formation mechanism of microplastics. Microplastics Advance Research and Innovation Initiative (MARII) Workshop on Advancements and steps towards a holistic, quantitative risk assessment on microplastics, October 12-13, 2022.

Published Papers

N/A

Collaborators

ToxStrategies, LLC (US)

Timeline

Completion 3Q 2024

Additional information

Professional Presentations

Presented at Society of Toxicology Annual meeting, March 2024 in Salt Lake, UT.

Published Papers

N/A