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  • Risk assessment for microplastics in terrestrial environments

    April 16, 2024

    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 heterogeneous mixtures of particles, which will be used to develop the risk assessment framework; and select, homogeneously 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

  • Applying EU hazard assessment frameworks to microplastics

    April 16, 2024

    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.

  • Modeling the vector effect of microplastics in the environment

    April 16, 2024

    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

  • Ecotoxicological risk assessment for microplastics

    April 16, 2024

    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

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