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HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning

Mattrygghet: Effects of micro/nanoplastics and contaminated micro/nanoplastics on food safety of fish

Alternative title: Effekter av mikro/nanoplast og forurenset mikro/nanoplast på matsikkerhet for fisk

Awarded: NOK 5.0 mill.

Project Number:

320456

Project Period:

2021 - 2024

Partner countries:

Plastics have a high affinity for fat-soluble contaminants. By having a high surface-to-volume ratio, microplastics can act as vectors of the pollutants that collect them from the surrounding environment, trap them and allow them to move around the environment, and be ingested by animals. The results of our study will partially answer the questions of how aquatic pollutants adsorb on microplastics, whether small microplastics adsorb more pollutants than larger ones, and how fast microplastics adsorb organic pollutants. Once inside the body of fish, microplastics can inhibit growth and body development, affect feeding and fish behavior, and induce reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, genetic damage, etc. However, many of the observations related to these issues lack systematic investigation in a controlled environment. Thus, one of the aims of our project was to add microplastics containing known chemical pollutants to the aquatic environment and quantitatively study the effects of these chemicals and microplastics on fish growth. The size of microplastics exerts a direct impact on their migration ability in the aquatic environment and whether they would be ingested by aquatic organisms. Developments in the limits of extraction and identification technologies are making the detectable size of microplastics smaller. Nevertheless, there is a need to develop new technologies able to efficiently extract and identify microplastics. It is of note that extraction and identification of nanoplastics are particularly difficult, and so far, no good methods have been developed for their quantitative analysis. Thus, another aim of our study is to develop new technologies and detective methods for the identification of microplastics in the lower end of the micrometer range.

According to the statistics by FAO, fish as a source of food provides 15% high-quality protein for 4.3 billion people. The living environment of fish is increasingly affected by micro/nanoplastics (MNPs), which leads to issues in food safety. Therefore, understanding MNPs contamination is urgent. In this proposal, the adsorption of pollutants by MNPs and their toxicity to fish will be systematically studied through elegant experimental designs. We have selected four plastics with different chemical nature, and using laboratory simulated aging, we study how MNPs particle size is related to the different chemical nature of the plastics, so as to further study the adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics of chosen pollutants on MNPs. We further plan to investigate the influence of MNPs on the growth development of crucian carp. Meanwhile, we will compare the influence of pollutant-adsorbed-MNPs on the growth development of crucian carp and analyze the distribution and enrichment characteristics of MNPs in fish tissues. MNPs are difficult to isolate and characterize. Therefore, we will further explore the possibility of developing new methodologies for quantitative analysis of MNPs. In this regard, we focus on using NMR and GPC. Norway has ambition to intensify aquaculture production to fulfill a growing demand, and a large number of Norwegian seafood will appear on dining tables in China. Therefore, it is necessary for both countries to understand the pollution degree and regularity of MNPs in fish, and guarantee the food safety. This study is composed of three main units, and all parties will use their strength to systematically study the physicochemical properties of MNPs, their developmental toxicity to fish, and their new separation and analysis methods under ideal controlled conditions in our laboratories. The research results will make a breakthrough contribution to the elaboration of the pollution mode, pollution enrichment rule and analysis methods of MNPs.

Publications from Cristin

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Funding scheme:

HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning

Thematic Areas and Topics

BioteknologiFNs BærekraftsmålMål 3 God helseBioteknologiMarin bioteknologiLTP3 Nano-, bioteknologi og teknologikonvergensMarinMarin bioteknologiBransjer og næringerLTP3 Muliggjørende og industrielle teknologierFNs BærekraftsmålMål 2 Utrydde sultPortefølje Muliggjørende teknologierBransjer og næringerFiskeri og havbrukDelportefølje KvalitetFNs BærekraftsmålMål 14 Liv under vannAnvendt forskningDelportefølje InternasjonaliseringPortefølje Banebrytende forskningBioøkonomiGrunnforskningFNs BærekraftsmålBioøkonomiØvrig bioøkonomiInternasjonaliseringInternasjonalt prosjektsamarbeidLTP3 Fagmiljøer og talenterInternasjonaliseringHavbrukLTP3 Bioøkonomi og forvaltningDelportefølje Et velfungerende forskningssystemInternasjonaliseringInternasjonalt samarbeid om utlysningHavbrukFiskehelse og velferdLTP3 Høy kvalitet og tilgjengelighetHavbrukAnnen havbruksrelevant forskningLTP3 Klima, miljø og energiKlimarelevant forskningLTP3 Marine bioressurser og havforvaltningLTP3 Et kunnskapsintensivt næringsliv i hele landetMarinHavbrukLTP3 Hav og kystLTP3 Rettede internasjonaliseringstiltakMarinMatLTP3 Samfunnssikkerhet og beredskapLTP3 Samfunnsikkerhet, sårbarhet og konfliktMarinMarin forurensning inkl. miljøgifterPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderFiskeri og kystNaturmangfold og miljøMarin forurensning inkl. miljøgifterLTP3 Styrket konkurransekraft og innovasjonsevneNaturmangfold og miljøPortefølje ForskningssystemetMatMat - Blå sektorPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderPortefølje Mat og bioressurserMatTrygg verdikjedeNaturmangfold og miljøGlobale miljøutfordringerPortefølje Klima og miljø