Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MONPLAS (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.)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-01-01 do 2021-12-31
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 absorbtion 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 Europes greatest experts in their fields it will provide tomorrows talent with the skills and knowledge to tackle possibly one of mankinds greatest threats to its existence whilst they jointly develop the technologies for the industrial instrument in collaboration with end-users and equipment manufacturers.
Following the Kick-Off Meeting at Aston University in Month 2 (February 2020), with all other project meetings held virtually, recruitment in MONPLAS began in earnest. However, not unexpectedly, recruitment was unavoidably delayed due to the impact of COVID-19, subsequently impacting the start and progress of activities within technical workpackages, planned training events including secondments, and the submittal dates for specific Deliverables and Milestones. Never the less, by Month 15 all Early Career Researchers had taken up their positions of employment, with some 43% being female, and their Career Development Plans and Individual Training Portfolios created.
All secondments have been reviewed by the Consortium and a proposed revised schedule provisionally agreed, with a further contingency of virtual secondments proposed should external factors exclude the possibility of travel.
The first training workshop was held in Month 11 with a specific Team Building Day organised the following month to foster ESR participation and collaboration within the MONPLAS project; both events were conducted virtually. Within the first training workshop the ESRs learned about microplastic sampling, sample preparation and analysis techniques and methodologies, as well as standardisation in the field and about the general photonic techniques used for analysis. The second training workshop has also been arranged as an online event for Month 16, focussing on Citizen Science, Open Science, and their exploitations.
Progress has been made in all Work Packages and individual ESR projects, although most beneficiaries expectantly reporting some postponements due to the revised recruitment start dates, travel restrictions as well as local restrictions such as lab access due to COVID-19. However, by the end of Month 15 all 10 due deliverables had been submitted to the EC for review and all seven programmed milestones reached.
All secondments have been reviewed by the Consortium and a proposed revised schedule provisionally agreed, with a further contingency of virtual secondments proposed should external factors exclude the possibility of travel.
The first training workshop was held in Month 11 with a specific Team Building Day organised the following month to foster ESR participation and collaboration within the MONPLAS project; both events were conducted virtually. Within the first training workshop the ESRs learned about microplastic sampling, sample preparation and analysis techniques and methodologies, as well as standardisation in the field and about the general photonic techniques used for analysis. The second training workshop has also been arranged as an online event for Month 16, focussing on Citizen Science, Open Science, and their exploitations.
Progress has been made in all Work Packages and individual ESR projects, although most beneficiaries expectantly reporting some postponements due to the revised recruitment start dates, travel restrictions as well as local restrictions such as lab access due to COVID-19. However, by the end of Month 15 all 10 due deliverables had been submitted to the EC for review and all seven programmed milestones reached.
Through close collaboration within broad multi and interdisciplinary research programs MONPLAS has created an environment, currently lacking in the EU and worldwide, where 14 young researchers are exposed to state-of-the-art concepts and research techniques essential to develop various novel technologies, applications and methodologies that will lead to a breakthrough in the detection of micro and nanoplastics in water (and other beverages, food, soil and air), as well as in the tracing of their origins and determination of their toxicity. In doing by the end of the project they will on their way to becoming world-leading pioneers in driving international interdisciplinary research in microplastic and nanoplastic detection, and boost expertise within EU groups.
Principally the impacts of MONPLAS are thus:
Develop technologies to improve our ability to detect, trace the origin, determine the toxicity, and ultimately eliminate micro and nanoplastics from water.
Add to the limited data on microplastics in water and beverages, as well as develop and standardise a method for the initial data taking (identity and shape) of nanoplastic so that uptake and effect on animal and human life can be studied through toxicokinetics and toxicity.
Commercialisation of technologies, applications and methodologies, either within current scientific instruments and/or within a dedicated instrument for inline measurements that will lead to widespread commericial applications for positive release and inspection of manufactured goods, and for post project development of suitable instruments for sea water, air and some food-stuff monitoring.
Principally the impacts of MONPLAS are thus:
Develop technologies to improve our ability to detect, trace the origin, determine the toxicity, and ultimately eliminate micro and nanoplastics from water.
Add to the limited data on microplastics in water and beverages, as well as develop and standardise a method for the initial data taking (identity and shape) of nanoplastic so that uptake and effect on animal and human life can be studied through toxicokinetics and toxicity.
Commercialisation of technologies, applications and methodologies, either within current scientific instruments and/or within a dedicated instrument for inline measurements that will lead to widespread commericial applications for positive release and inspection of manufactured goods, and for post project development of suitable instruments for sea water, air and some food-stuff monitoring.