MIXiT: Towards quantifying impacts of microplastics on environmental and human health
About report
The current environmental concern is that plastic debris, particularly microplastics, transfer through the food web and affects aquatic consumers with potential effects on humans as the top consumers. However, the evidence for the biological effects of microplastics is scarce, and the mechanisms of these effects in aquatic biota and humans are largely unknown. To assess the possible impacts of microplastic pollution on the environment and human health with scientific rigour, we need a sound methodology, which is currently missing.
The primary motivation for the MIXiT project has been to establish the principles for hazard assessment methods targeting microplastics as a case of solid waste type.
This research project was focused on five main issues: (1) gathering global evidence for adverse effects of microplastics using meta-analysis of published data, (2) developing a test system for evaluating the effects of solid particles and the leachates, (3) preparation and standardisation of environmentally relevant microplastics for (eco)toxicological testing with considerations of particle morphology and physicochemical properties, (4) demonstrating approaches for microplastic effect studies using ecotoxicological test organisms and human cell lines with an emphasis on understanding the effect mechanisms and deriving effect concentrations suitable for regulatory work, and (5) modelling food-web transfer of microplastics using trophic guilds in the pelagic system of the Baltic Sea.
The critical focus of the research is on designing appropriate animal and human tests and providing methodological recommendations on testing the hazardous properties of anthropogenic particles and their leachates.
