Funding Agency: Science and Innovation Ministry
Partners: ULPGC
Time active: 2021-2024
Leading researcher: Dr. Rodrigo Almeda García
Number of researchers involved: 4
Funds: 189 000€
Summary:
MICROPLEACH aims to assess the effects of MP additive leachates on plankton and the associated risk to coastal ecosystems, with the specific objectives of characterization the chemical composition of leachates from virgin and weathered MPs, including biodegradable plastics, evaluate how weathering influences residence time and leaching of plastic additives, determine “cocktail effects” of MP leachates on plankton communities, assess the eco-toxicity of plastic additives on plankton and to identify the most hazardous additives after acute and chronic exposure, and evaluate the ecological-risk of plastic additive leachates on plankton and the potential ecosystems impacts.

The project integrates a research team with expertise in environmental chemistry, plankton ecology, toxicology and experimental biology to investigate the effects of plastic leachates and additives on marine ecosystems using Effect-Directed Analysis (EDA).