Big impacts of microplastics? Or: Can brushing your teeth harm the environment?
Centre for Applied Geosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Tübingen
Freshwater
biota
is
facing
pollution
by
chemicals,
but
also
by
particulate
materials
like
microplastics
(MP,
polymer
particles
<
5
mm).
In
addition,
MP
contain
chemicals
(additives)
that
might
leach
out
of
the
polymer
material.
Depending
on
the
polymer
type
hydrophobic
chemicals,
e.g.
used
in
households,
also
tend
to
sorb
to
MP.
Together
with
MP
like
fibers
from
clothes
or
particles
from
cosmetic
products
they
enter
the
environment
via
wastewater
treatment
plants.
Filtering
organisms
and
juvenile
stages
of
freshwater
biota
seem
to
be
especially
vulnerable
to
stressors
like
water
pollution.
Thus,
both
their
single
effects
as
well
as
their
resulting
combined
effects
need
to
be
studied
to
estimate
the
risks
of
MP
and
associated
chemicals
in
the
environment.
Although
experimental
studies
on
the
uptake
of
pollutants
showed
that
MP
can
act
as
vector
for
pollutants,
model
based
studies
indicate
that
the
vector
function
of
MP
is
negligible
in
the
environment.
Laboratory
studies
under
well
defined
conditions
can
help
to
systematically
identify
underlying
processes
by
first
studying
single
effects
before
combining
them.
The
presentation
will
give
a
broad
overview
on
current
knowledge
about
microplastics
in
the
aquatic
environment
and
open
research
questions
of
interest
in
science
and
society
but
also
present
some
latest
results
from
our
reearch
groups
dealing
with
the
role
of
microplastics
as
a
transpot
vector
for
pollutants.
Everyone Welcome. Coffee Provided.