Microplastic litter pollution in a changing climate.

We have significant experience undertaking research into detection of micro and nano plastics (MNPs), in air, water and soils systems (This includes the early work published in Nature journals confirming atmospheric transport and deposition in remote regions).  This work is supported by a dedicated microplastics clean lab and extensive analytical equipment, including µRaman for MNP characterisation. We also have a well equipped analytical laboratory for assessment of MNP degradation products.

We would be keen to collaborate with others to develop comprehensive assessment and monitoring strategies for microplastic pollution across Europe.  We would be keen to work with others developing pan-European tools. 

Areas of interest could include designing a harmonised pan-European approach to take into account the impacts of climate change. This includes monitoring and assessment which accounts for how changing climatic conditions will influence MNP uptake by different environmental compartments of freshwater, marine, air and soil.  Pan-European analysis could also include coupling direct MNP detection with other data on MNP sources to improve coverage and prediction: for example  coupling tyre MNP detection and traffic flow data to create more effective models of tyre MNP pollution.  We also have the ability, such as through our GC and MS based approaches to analyse MNP degradation products. Thus would be happy to collaborate on further understanding degradation and degradation byproduct production in relevant environmental compartments.