nanoPlastic Ageing, Tracing, Tracking and aquatic Environmental Removal

PATTER: nanoPlastic Ageing, Tracing, Tracking and aquatic Environmental Removal addresses the critical environmental challenge posed by micro- and nanoplastics, which are pervasive and persist in the environment, with their impact remaining largely unknown. This fellowship aims to employ an interdisciplinary, and advanced methodological combination of analytical and characterisation techniques to investigate what effect ageing has on nanoplastic behaviour, and then use this knowledge to develop remediation approaches that tackle both pristine and aged nanoplastics. The work will develop methods to generate environmentally relevant, easily detectable nanoplastics, allowing for their tracking in environmental samples. This is crucial, as current methods struggle to distinguish nanoplastics from organic backgrounds in environmental matrices. Furthermore, multi-method characterisation of nanoplastics at various stages of ageing, using advanced techniques will be conducted. These studies will provide quantifiable data on physicochemical changes, enhancing our understanding of nanoplastics' long-term behaviour in different aquatic environments. This addresses the knowledge gap in nanoplastic ageing, which influences their environmental fate and the effectiveness of remediation strategies. Finally, sorbent materials will be investigated for removing nanoplastics from water. The aim is to develop materials capable of capturing particles smaller than 1000 nm, significantly improving the efficiency of current remediation technologies. This research is highly relevant to the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on water quality, waste reduction, and pollution control. By addressing these aspects, PATTER will contribute to more robust environmental protection measures and advance scientific knowledge in the field of plastic pollution.