Skip to main content
European Commission logo
italiano italiano
CORDIS - Risultati della ricerca dell’UE
CORDIS
CORDIS Web 30th anniversary CORDIS Web 30th anniversary

The training of early stage researchers for the development of technologies to monitor concentrations of micro and nanoplastics in water for their presence, uptake and threat to animal and human life.

Descrizione del progetto

Formazione per misurare il rischio per la salute delle microplastiche

La plastica è un materiale importante e onnipresente nella nostra economia e vita quotidiana. Preoccupazioni ambientali quali la dispersione della plastica rappresentano anche una minaccia significativa per il nostro benessere. Ridurre la quantità di rifiuti di plastica generati ogni anno rimane una grande sfida. Ogni anno vengono immesse nell’ambiente fino a 300 000 tonnellate di microplastiche. Il progetto MONPLAS, finanziato dall’UE, formerà ricercatori all’inizio della carriera per monitorare le concentrazioni di micro- e nano-plastiche nell’acqua per la loro presenza, assorbimento e minaccia alla vita animale e umana. Il progetto ha identificato la necessità di sviluppare tecnologie idonee che siano robuste, facili da usare e poco costose per l’esecuzione di misurazioni standardizzate, nonché la formazione di ingegneri per lo sviluppo e funzionamento dei metodi.

Obiettivo

Micro and nanoplastics have recently been found in our soil, tap water, bottled water, beer and even in the air we breathe, with a growing concern about the potential health risks they pose to us. Whether that is through ingesting the harmful bacteria they pick up when coming from wastewater plants, or just through injury and death of cells through contact, possibly through absorption of nanoplastics by cells, we really don’t know. Which is why there is an urgent need for more research on their toxicity and also why a new EC drinking water directive is to be published in 2019 stating that water companies will need to measure concentrations of microplastics from within two years for positive release and inspection. However, even though a standard measurement method will be published in 2019 for water, its necessary use of existing and expensive scientific laboratory equipment, such as microscopy and FTIR or Raman spectroscopy, will make it prohibitively expensive for in line use for many companies across Europe especially considering its need for highly trained personnel. There is therefore a need to develop suitable technologies for a robust, easy to use and low cost industrial instrument, whose measurements will correspond directly to the aforementioned standard, as well as train engineers for method development and operation. Given these multiple technical and analytical challenges, and that global production of plastic, that can take hundreds of years to biodegrade, is expected to triple by 2050; we propose a timely four year Initial Training Network to train multiple Early State Researchers throughout various scientific areas. Consisting of some of Europe's greatest experts in their fields it will provide tomorrows talent with the skills and knowledge to tackle possibly one of mankind's greatest threats to its existence whilst they jointly develop the technologies for the industrial instrument in collaboration with end-users and equipment manufacturers.

Coordinatore

ASTON UNIVERSITY
Contribution nette de l'UE
€ 606 345,12
Indirizzo
ASTON TRIANGLE
B4 7ET Birmingham
Regno Unito

Mostra sulla mappa

Regione
West Midlands (England) West Midlands Birmingham
Tipo di attività
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Collegamenti
Costo totale
€ 606 345,12

Partecipanti (8)