Ecological Aspects of Microplastics
About
Microplastics are persistent, ubiquitous and have a high potential to cause physical and toxicological harm. Microplastics have been identified as an artificial substrate which could affect ecological processes and facilitate transportation of invasive species. However, knowledge about the origin, abundance and distribution of microplastics in marine systems is still limited. Furthermore, the toxicological and ecological effects on marine organisms and ultimately on human health are also insufficiently studied. Hence, for the protection of marine habitats and the safety of marine resources and seafood, JPI Oceans Member Countries decided to launch a action in the field of microplastic research.
Objectives
Background
Joint Call on microplastics 2015
The pilot action Ecological Aspects of Microplastics was proposed by Germany in the Management Board of February 2013. In an iterative process scientific experts together with the members of the Management Board (MB) have defined the scope of this pilot action as comprising methods, monitoring and effects of microplastics. Following a bibliometric study, foresight exercise and methods workshop, ten member countries of JPI Oceans published a joint call in 2015 with an overall budget of approx. 7.7 million Euro. Four projects were selected for funding from January 2016 for for a period of 36 months.
The first joint call for research proposals comprised three main themes:
- Validation and harmonisation of analytical methods
- Identification and quantification of microplastics
- Eco-toxicological effects of microplastic – impact on marine organisms
After evaluation, four new JPI Oceans projects were selected for funding to conduct research focusing on these respective research areas.
- BASEMAN - Defining the baselines and standards for microplastics analyses in European waters
- EPHEMARE - Ecotoxicological effects of microplastics in marine ecosystems
- PLASTOX - Direct and indirect ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics on marine organisms
- WEATHER-MIC - How microplastic weathering changes its transport, fate and toxicity in the marine environment
An overview of the key results of the projects can be found here.
Through these research projects the knowledge about the analysis, weathering and, ecotoxicological effects of microplastics in the marine environment has been substantially improved. But not all relevant questions have been addressed in these four projects and the knowledge and understanding about smaller microplastic particles (from 10 µm to very small particles - nanoparticles) is in particular limited.
Joint Call on microplastics 2018
The second joint call for research proposals comprised four main themes:
- Identification, characterisation and quantification of the major microplastic sources, especially mechanisms and time scales of macroplastic fragmentation
- New sampling and analytical methodologies - focusing on the smaller (nano-)particles and in situ measurement methods for all matrices (water, sediment, biota)
- Monitoring and mapping of microplastics in the marine environment including its effects on the marine environment
- Concepts to reduce inputs of plastics into the marine environment including through new recycling methods, raising public awareness, promoting behavioural change, socio-economic analyses
- ANDROMEDA - Analysis techniques for quantifying nano-and microplastic particles and their degradation in the marine environment – Coordinator: Dr Richard Sempéré, Université d'Aix-Marseille, France
- HOTMIC - Horizontal and vertical oceanic distribution, transport, and impact of microplastics – Coordinator: Dr Aaron Beck, GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Germany
- FACTS - Fluxes and Fate of Microplastics in Northern European Waters – Coordinator: Prof Jes Vollertsen, Aalborg University, Denmark
- microplastiX - Integrated approach on the fate of MicroPlastics (MPs) towards healthy marine ecosystems - Prof Luca Brandt KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
- i-plastic - Dispersion and impacts of micro- and nano-plastics in the tropical and temperate oceans: from regional land-ocean interface to the open ocean – Coordinator: Prof Patrizia Ziveri, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
- RESPONSE - Toward a risk-based assessment of microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems - Coordinator: Prof Francesco Regoli, Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy