Project description DEENESFRITPL Training to measure health risk of microplastics Plastic is an important and ubiquitous material in our economy and daily lives. Environmental concerns such as plastic leakage also pose a significant threat to our wellbeing. Reducing the amount of plastic waste generated each year remains a huge challenge. Up to 300 000 tonnes of microplastics are released into the environment each year. The EU-funded MONPLAS project will train early stage researchers to monitor concentrations of micro- and nano-plastics in water for their presence, uptake and threat to animal and human life. The project identified a need to develop suitable technologies that are robust, easy to use and inexpensive for performing standardised measurements, as well as training engineers for method development and operation. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective 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. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processesdrinking water treatment processesengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollutionnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Keywords microplastics nanoplastics microfluidics photonics optics toxicology instrumentation Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.1. - Fostering new skills by means of excellent initial training of researchers Topic(s) MSCA-ITN-2019 - Innovative Training Networks Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-ITN-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Coordinator ASTON UNIVERSITY Net EU contribution € 606 345,12 Address Aston triangle B4 7ET Birmingham United Kingdom See on map Region West Midlands (England) West Midlands Birmingham Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN Sweden Net EU contribution € 563 965,92 Address Brinellvagen 8 100 44 Stockholm See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 BRUKER OPTIK GMBH Participation ended Germany Net EU contribution € 116 352,88 Address Rudolf plank strasse 27 76275 Ettlingen See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Karlsruhe, Landkreis Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 STICHTING WAGENINGEN RESEARCH Netherlands Net EU contribution € 265 619,88 Address Droevendaalsesteeg 4 6708 PB Wageningen See on map Region Oost-Nederland Gelderland Veluwe Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL Belgium Net EU contribution € 512 640,00 Address Pleinlaan 2 1050 Bruxelles / brussel See on map Region Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest Arr. de Bruxelles-Capitale/Arr. Brussel-Hoofdstad Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUER PHOTONISCHE TECHNOLOGIEN E.V. Germany Net EU contribution € 505 576,80 Address Albert einstein strasse 9 07745 Jena See on map Region Thüringen Thüringen Jena, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 AALBORG UNIVERSITET Denmark Net EU contribution € 595 044,00 Address Fredrik bajers vej 7k 9220 Aalborg See on map Region Danmark Nordjylland Nordjylland Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 606 345,12 Address University road lanyon building BT7 1NN Belfast See on map Region Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Belfast Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 BRUKER OPTICS GMBH & CO KG Germany Net EU contribution € 136 435,52 Address Rudolf-plank-strasse 27 76275 Ettlingen See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Karlsruhe, Landkreis Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00