Descrizione del progetto
L’impatto delle microplastiche sui suoli
L’inquinamento dell’ambiente marino dovuto alle microplastiche è stato oggetto di notevole attenzione ma queste particelle minacciano anche l’ambiente dei suoli. I meccanismi alla loro base, nonché i più ampi impatti da esse esercitate, sono scarsamente compresi. Il progetto TRAMPAS, finanziato dall’UE, colmerà questa lacuna di conoscenza verificando l’ipotesi secondo cui le microplastiche incrementano l’idrofobicità della superficie dei pori del terreno, aumentando in tal modo il movimento di microrganismi potenzialmente patogeni. L’iniziativa affronterà due sfide rilevanti a livello sociale: l’inquinamento da microplastiche e il destino dei patogeni nell’ambiente. I ricercatori quantificheranno il modo in cui gli stress climatici e le proprietà del suolo interagiscono con le microplastiche per indurre idrofobicità e condurranno esperimenti di lisciviazione utilizzando DNA sintetizzato. Gli scienziati misureranno quindi i processi sulla scala dei pori del terreno avvalendosi della microfluidica e approfondiranno la formazione delle microplastiche colonizzate dai microbi (la plastisfera).
Obiettivo
Microplastic pollution has received considerable attention for the marine environment, but hidden out of sight are microplastics in soil. In Europe alone, there are likely more microplastics in soil than in all the world’s oceans. Microplastics can adversely affect soils, but the underlying mechanisms and wider impacts are poorly understood. A significant impact could be increased hydrophobicity of the soil pore surface, which can increase the movement of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. I found that the concentration of microplastics and soil temperature increase the soil-water contact angle, a measure of hydrophobicity. This project will explore how microplastics influence soil through the development of hydrophobicity and the impacts to bacteria and virus transport and retention. It builds on my recent research that was the first to link the development of soil hydrophobicity with increased leaching of bacteria. Two challenges of societal importance are addressed: (1) microplastic pollution and (2) pathogen fate in the environment.
I will bring together a range of approaches, starting first with quantifying how climatic stresses and soil properties interact with microplastics to induce hydrophobicity. This will be followed by leaching experiments, where microbial retention and leaching will be tracked with a novel approach using synthesised DNA. Soil pore scale processes will be measured using microfluidics, where the spread and retention of microbes and water can be visualised directly under highly controlled conditions. Finally, I will study microplastic contaminated soil, exploring the formation of microbial colonised microplastics – the ‘plastisphere’.
Working with a strong multidisciplinary team I will gain excellent training in state-of-the-art analysis approaches. By using highly visual approaches in my research, such as microfluidics, I will be able to demonstrate its impact to a range of audiences, from the public, through policy, to scientists.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
AB24 3FX ABERDEEN
Regno Unito