Role of Microplastics on Legacy Pollutants Bioavailability and Toxicity

Plastic accumulation in the environment is a prevalent and alarming phenomenon. You might have seen images of marine animals such as birds or turtles killed by large fragments of plastic accidentally ingested. However, it is also apparent that very small fragments of plastic (less that one micrometer in diameter) or microplastics (MPs), are even more dangerous for wildlife and humans because they can be absorbed into the bodily tissues after ingestion. Microplastics might also carry pesticides, heavy metals and carcinogens into the body. However, the role of MPs on pollutant bioavailability and toxicity is poorly understood. The high prevalence of MPs in the environment makes it plausible that MPs and pollutants can coexist and thus emphasizing the environmental relevance of this phenomenon.

 

In this project, we will evaluate the sorption properties of different plastic material to different pollutant types (e.g., pesticides) and we will study the toxicity of MPs alone or in combination with pollutants to fish. We will mostly use fish cells (i.e., cells explanted from fish tissues) for the bioavailability and toxicity studies. By participating in this study, you will learn highly transferable skills such as how to prepare biologically relevant medium solutions, perform toxicity assays, microscopy and gene expression techniques.

 

Network Mentor: Dr. Matteo Minghetti