Research

Thesis title: "Enhancing micro- and nanoplastics research: Using pharmaceutical methodologies to develop reference micro- and nanoplastics for studying the impacts of plastics on human health"

Thesis outline:

Synopsis of the project: This doctoral thesis takes place within the IMPTOX project, which received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 framework programme. This innovative research on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) aims  to investigate their possible effects on human health, particularly  by linking them to allergic diseases such as asthma.

The background: The production and use of different polymeric materials (plastics) increased rapidly over the past decades. Low cost and uncountable fields of application led to widespread use which is accompanied by littering and environmental pollution. Plastics are exceptionally durable but can degrade slowly over time due to mechanical stress or under the influence of oxygen and UV radiation. While they fragment, they form microplastic and sub-micron-sized nanoplastic particles (MNPs). MNPs have been found even in the most remote locations of the planet and it is known that they can carry a wide variety of concerning cargo like chemicals, allergens, heavy metals or bacteria. The ubiquity of plastic debris leads to continual exposure of humans via different routes and MNPs were already detected in human stool, blood or the lung. Yet, little is known about the possible health impacts. Research in this field is hampered by the lack of suitable tests and reference materials for the development of analytical tools and screening methods.

Aims of this thesis: My role in this project is to optimise manufacturing methods to generate well-characterized MNP test materials, which will then be sent to our project partners for further investigations. In addition, MNPs present in sea spray and lake-side aerosols will be collected and investigated with cutting-edge analytical methods, such as AFM-IR, to understand human respiratory exposure to such particles in the environment.

Funding: The Imptox project has received funding from the EU’s H2020 framework programme for research and innovation under grant agreement n. 965173

Supervisor & Co-Mentor: Lea Ann Dailey, Gabriela Hädrich

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