January newsletter of the Thematic Network of micro and nanoplastics in the environment (ENVIROPLANET), a thematic research network formed by a set of Spanish research groups working on topics related to pollution by plastic materials, among which we are.
You can find the groups working in this network and the activities in which we have been participating, as well as the publications and dissemination of the work done.

The University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) announces a merit-based competition for the full-time hiring of a PhD researcher with experience in aquatic ecotoxicology and/or marine pollution to carry out research tasks within the project "Impact of microplastic leachate additives on marine plankton (MICROPLEACH)".

More info (in Spanish):

Our colleague, Dr. Rodrigo Almeda has coordinated the joint activity between JPI OCEANS RESPONSE and FACTS consortia which involved the sampling of microplastics > 10 µm and their associated pollutants in European coastal waters using harmonized sampling and analytical techniques. This collaboration is featured by Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans (JPI Oceans), the most important intergovernmental platform focus on marine microplastic pollution.

From 4 to 18 of october, our team carried out an expedition as part of IMPLAMAC Project. This expedition consisted of sampling microplastic in surface waters, water column and beaches (in La Graciosa, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura islands), along the Canary Islands archipelago, from Alegranza to La Gomera. Also they sampled plankton both in surface and water column.

On 24 September 2021, the MacaroNight 2021 science festival was held. Our colleague Vanesa Romero-Kutzner participated giving a curious talk named “Between jellyfish, homo sapiens and the future” (Entre medusas, Homo sapiens y el futuro).

From 11 to 24 of September, our colleagues Rodrigo Almeda, the coordinator of the studies concerning the impact on plankton, and Alicia Herrera participated in the MANTLE Project. They flew to Sweden, to the Mesocosm Facility at Umeå Marine Sciences Center (MF-UMSC), where both work in the mesocosm experiment to explore how key biological processes influence the distribution and effects of different types of MPs in marine ecosystems (on plankton and benthos communities under environmentally realistic scenarios).

Yesterday, 23 September, the presentation of preliminary results of the IMPLAMAC project took place. The results obtained so far in the four archipelagos of Macaronesia (Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde), related to the different activities carried out by the project, were presented.

-- Protocols for sampling and quantification of microplastics on beaches

-- Study of the incidence of microplastics in fish.

-- Determination of emerging pollutants in microplastics

-- Dissemination and dissemination activities

Last week, here in ULPGC, from 14 to 18 of june, was held a course named “Introduction to the Microplastic research”, organized by us. During that week,  6 talks and  5 workshops were given.  

TALKS: